Nigeria Completes Global Aircraft Manufacturers’ Engagement With Strategic Bombardier Visit

In fulfillment of a commitment made by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN) upon assuming office in 2023 to establish direct partnerships between Nigerian operators and the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, the Minister has led a delegation of Nigerian airline operators on a working visit to Bombardier’s Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre (LBCC) in Montréal, Canada, thereby concluding the Federal Government of Nigeria’s strategic engagement with the world’s leading aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

The Minister was accompanied on the official visit by the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo; the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; Nigeria’s Representative on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Engr. Mahmoud Sani Ben-Tukur; and other senior government officials and industry stakeholders.

Following earlier engagements with Boeing, Airbus and Embraer, the Bombardier visit completes the Federal Government’s comprehensive OEM engagement programme aimed at supporting fleet renewal, improving access to aircraft financing, expanding technical cooperation, strengthening maintenance capabilities, and enhancing the competitiveness of Nigerian airlines.

Speaking during the visit, the Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for indigenous operators.

“Our objective has always been clear, to connect Nigerian operators directly with the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers and create opportunities that will strengthen indigenous capacity, modernize our fleets, improve safety, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our aviation industry,” he said.

Bombardier, a global leader in business aviation, manufactures the Challenger and Global series of executive aircraft and provides world-class aircraft completion, maintenance, training and aftermarket support. The engagement aligns with the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s business and non-scheduled aviation sector.

During the visit, the Nigerian delegation was exposed to Bombardier’s aircraft manufacturing and completion processes, maintenance support systems, pilot and technical training programmes, digital technologies, aftermarket services, and innovative aircraft acquisition solutions. The engagement is expected to create new opportunities for collaboration in fleet modernization, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO), engineering support, technical capacity development, aviation training, and aerospace technology transfer.

The visit also advances the Minister’s fleet modernization agenda by encouraging the acquisition of newer, safer and more fuel-efficient aircraft while strengthening partnerships among aircraft manufacturers, financiers, lessors and Nigerian operators.

Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications says the successful completion of strategic engagements with Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and Bombardier underscores the commitment of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration to repositioning Nigeria as Africa’s preferred aviation hub through strategic international partnerships, private-sector collaboration and sustainable industry reforms.