President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed plans by global aircraft manufacturer Airbus to establish aircraft maintenance and hangar facilities in Nigeria, a move aimed at positioning the country as a major aviation services hub in Africa.
The President also reiterated Nigeria’s urgent need for modern attack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to strengthen security operations, logistics, and national development efforts across the country.
Tinubu made the remarks 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 recently concluded Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
According to a statement issued by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the President said his administration is committed to deepening strategic ties with Airbus, particularly in military aviation and aerospace development.
“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” Tinubu stated.
The President also called for the speedy delivery of three Apache helicopters already ordered by Nigeria to support ongoing counterterrorism and national security operations.
Discussions during the meeting reportedly focused on Nigeria’s planned acquisition of the Airbus C-295 aircraft platform, alongside broader defence and aviation cooperation.
Both parties also explored aircraft leasing and financing models, including export credit systems, sale-and-lease-back arrangements, and long-term financing solutions aimed at improving access to aircraft for Nigerian airlines.
Tinubu further discussed the possibility of establishing an aviation leasing company to enhance financing opportunities and unlock growth across Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Airbus executive Thierry Cloutet commended Tinubu’s economic reforms and efforts to stabilise the aviation industry while boosting investor confidence in Nigeria.
He reaffirmed Airbus’ commitment to supporting Nigeria’s long-term aerospace ambitions and proposed a “360-degree engagement” partnership covering commercial aviation, military cooperation, maintenance infrastructure, sustainability, and human capital development.
According to Cloutet, the proposed partnership would also extend to satellite technology and Earth observation systems to support Nigeria’s security and development objectives.
