The Federal Government of Nigeria has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Airbus aimed at advancing the country's aviation sector through improved crew training and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) advisory services. The agreement was formalised during a working visit by Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo to Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France.
According to Tunde Moshood, special adviser on media and communications to the minister, the MOU marks a step in Nigeria's effort to reposition its aviation industry and foster a sustainable aerospace ecosystem. Key areas of cooperation identified in the agreement include aviation market intelligence, crew and maintenance training, and advisory services for MRO operations.
Officials Present at the Signing
Keyamo was accompanied by senior aviation officials, including Chris Najomo, Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and Farouk Umar, Director-General of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency. Gabriel Semelas, Airbus President for Africa and the Middle East, highlighted the shared ambition to scale Nigeria's civil aviation capabilities, emphasising the importance of leveraging local talent and infrastructure to build human capacity for the continent's aviation future.
Building on a Local Capacity Push
The Airbus partnership adds to a series of recent efforts to build indigenous aviation training and technical capacity in Nigeria, including the unveiling of Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, Africa's first private aeronautics university, and a separate memorandum of understanding between NiMet and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology on meteorology training. Keyamo described the Airbus agreement as aligned with the federal government's commitment to comprehensive development of Nigeria's aeronautical ecosystem.