Nigeria has signed a new aviation cooperation agreement with Airbus as part of efforts to position the country for a larger share of Africa’s projected aircraft demand over the next two decades.
The agreement was signed in Toulouse, France, by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who led a high-level Nigerian delegation to the headquarters of the aircraft manufacturing giant.
In a statement via his X profile on Tuesday, Keyamo said he signed the Working Together Agreement on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the invitation of Airbus.
According to him, the agreement is expected to support fleet expansion, aviation infrastructure development, technical assistance and manpower training in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Keyamo said the partnership would leverage the successful integration of the Airbus A220 by Ibom Air to strengthen Nigeria’s position in regional and continental flight operations.
He said Airbus would also provide consulting support for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facilities, flight operations and aviation market insights.
The minister said the agreement would contribute to human capital development by creating high-value jobs for young Nigerians through specialised training programmes for pilots, engineers and cabin crew.
He added that the deal aligns with Airbus’ Global Market Forecast, which projects demand for 1,490 new aircraft in Africa over the next 20 years.
Keyamo said Nigeria intends to capture a dominant share of that growth by taking advantage of its geographic position as a bridge between regional, continental and global aviation markets.
The visit ended with a commitment to further technical exchanges, including planned inspections of Airbus’ Defence and Space, as well as Helicopter divisions.
The Nigerian delegation included members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria and other key industry stakeholders.
