Nigeria has signed a Working Together Agreement with Airbus following a recent high-level visit by Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, to the aircraft manufacturer’s headquarters in Toulouse, France.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during a delegation visit hosted at the invitation of Airbus. The delegation included members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) and key aviation industry stakeholders, who attended at their own expense.
The agreement is intended to support Nigeria’s wider aviation development objectives, with a focus on fleet expansion, technical capacity, infrastructure support and human capital development.
According to the announcement, the partnership will build on the successful integration of the Airbus A220 by Ibom Air, with the aim of positioning Nigeria as a stronger player in regional and continental flight operations.
Under the agreement, Airbus is expected to provide consulting support in key technical areas, including Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, flight operations and aviation market analysis. These areas are central to Nigeria’s ambition to strengthen its domestic aviation ecosystem and improve its competitiveness within the African aviation market.
The agreement also places emphasis on human capital development, including specialised training programmes for pilots, engineers and cabin crew. This is expected to support the creation of high-value aviation jobs and expand technical skills within the Nigerian aviation sector.
The partnership aligns with Airbus’ Global Market Forecast, which projects demand for 1,490 new aircraft in Africa over the next two decades. Nigeria is seeking to capture a larger share of this growth by leveraging its geographic position as a bridge between regional, continental and international aviation markets.
The visit concluded with a commitment to further technical exchanges between Nigeria and Airbus. These are expected to include upcoming inspections of Airbus’ Defence and Space, and Helicopter divisions.
The agreement signals a further step in Nigeria’s efforts to deepen aviation industry collaboration, expand operational capacity and strengthen its role in Africa’s evolving air transport market.
