Nigeria Concludes Global Aircraft Manufacturers’ Engagement with Strategic Bombardier Visit

The Federal Government has completed its strategic engagement with the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers following a working visit by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to Bombardier’s Laurent Beaudoin Completion Centre (LBCC) in Montréal, Canada.

The visit, which took place on Thursday, forms the final phase of the Federal Government’s engagement with major global aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), following earlier visits to Boeing, Airbus and Embraer.

The initiative is aimed at supporting fleet renewal, improving access to aircraft financing, expanding technical cooperation, strengthening maintenance capabilities and enhancing the competitiveness of Nigerian airlines.

Keyamo led a high-powered Nigerian delegation that included 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; airline operators; senior government officials; and other aviation industry stakeholders.

According to a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the visit fulfilled a commitment made by Keyamo shortly after assuming office in 2023 to establish direct partnerships between Nigerian airline operators and the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers.

The statement noted that the engagements with Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and now Bombardier were designed to create opportunities for indigenous airlines to modernise their fleets, improve operational efficiency and strengthen long-term sustainability within Nigeria’s aviation industry.

Speaking during the visit, Keyamo reiterated the Federal Government’s determination to create an enabling environment that would allow Nigerian operators to thrive in an increasingly competitive global aviation market.

He said the government’s objective had always been to establish direct links between Nigerian airlines and the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers in order to build indigenous capacity, modernise aircraft fleets, improve aviation safety, increase operational efficiency and ensure the long-term growth of the sector.

Bombardier, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of business aircraft, produces the Challenger and Global series of executive jets and offers aircraft completion, maintenance, pilot training and aftermarket support services.

The government said the engagement aligns with its broader aviation reform agenda aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s business and non-scheduled aviation sector through strategic international partnerships.

During the visit, members of the Nigerian delegation toured Bombardier’s aircraft manufacturing and completion facilities and were exposed to the company’s maintenance support systems, pilot and technical training programmes, digital technologies, aftermarket services and innovative aircraft acquisition solutions.

Officials said the engagement is expected to open new opportunities for collaboration in fleet modernisation, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services, engineering support, aviation training, technical capacity development and aerospace technology transfer.

The government also expressed optimism that stronger collaboration with Bombardier would encourage Nigerian operators to acquire newer, safer and more fuel-efficient aircraft while fostering closer partnerships among aircraft manufacturers, financiers, lessors and local airline operators.

The visit is also expected to support the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to improve the operational capabilities of indigenous carriers and position them for greater competitiveness within regional and international markets.

With the conclusion of the Bombardier engagement, the Federal Government said it has successfully completed its planned strategic engagements with the four major global aircraft manufacturers – Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and Bombardier.

The administration said the achievement reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to repositioning Nigeria as Africa’s preferred aviation hub through strategic international partnerships, private sector collaboration and sustainable reforms designed to accelerate growth across the country’s aviation and aerospace industry.