President Bola Tinubu has thrown his weight behind Airbus’ plan to build aircraft maintenance and hangar facilities in Nigeria, aiming to turn the country into a regional aviation services hub.
Tinubu said the move fits Nigeria’s urgent need for modern helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to boost security operations, logistics, and national development. He spoke during a meeting with an Airbus delegation led by Thierry Cloutet, Head of Regional Business Growth for Africa and the Middle East, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali.
According to a statement from Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu stressed his administration’s resolve to deepen ties with Airbus, leveraging the company’s edge in military aircraft and aerospace.
He also pushed for faster delivery of the three Apache helicopters Nigeria already ordered to strengthen counterterrorism efforts. “Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” he said.
The talks covered Nigeria’s acquisition of the Airbus C-295 platform, broader defence aviation cooperation, and financing models like export credit, sale-and-lease-back, and long-term leasing to help airlines access aircraft. Tinubu also floated the idea of setting up an aviation leasing company to unlock value across the sector and ease financing for local operators.
Cloutet praised Tinubu’s economic reforms and efforts to stabilise aviation and restore investor confidence. He reaffirmed Airbus’ commitment to Nigeria’s aerospace goals and proposed a “360-degree engagement” covering commercial and military aviation, training, sustainability, maintenance hubs, satellite tech, and Earth observation.
