Victor Ezeja
Nigerian government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with one of the world’s aircraft manufacturing giants, Boeing, to strengthen the country’s aviation sector.
The MoU was signed in Seattle, State of Washington in the United States on Wednesday, 28th August, by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Anbessie Yitbarek, Boeing’s Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing for Africa.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelKeyamo led a delegation of key Nigerian aviation stakeholders, including the top management team of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), executives from major Nigerian airlines and representatives from the Airline Operators of Nigeria AON, to the MoU signing event.
In a statement on his verified X handle, the minister listed the benefits of the agreement between the Nigerian government and Boeing company to the aviation sector.
He said the MoU will provide Nigerian airlines access to financing, acquisition of latest Boeing aircraft, technical support, training in airline operations, leadership, collaboration with NCAA, Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), and other activities to boost the country’s aviation sector to support the economy.
READ ALSO: Why Nigerian Airlines Have Been Unable To Compete With Foreign Operators – Keyamo
According to Keyamo, the highlights of the MOU are as follows:
“1. Leverage Boeing’s network of financiers and lessors to better position Nigerian Airlines to acquire newer generation Boeing aircraft
“2. Provide enhanced technical support to help airlines introduce new or used Boeing Aircraft.
“3. Provide training in airline operations and business models to enhance airline business practices.
“4. Provide technical support via providing access to Boeing data such as maintenance documents, engineering drawings, parts purchasing, and flight operations documents to streamline maintenance practices.
“ 5. Provide Boeing Field Services Representation in Nigeria or close by as on-site support.
“6. Provide leadership-development training to help airlines enhance their leadership pipeline.
“7. Collaborate with airlines’ in-flight operations, maintenance, and engineering to enhance safety and operational efficiency.
“8. Collaborate with NCAA and NSIB in close partnership with ICAO and regional regulators to enhance safety oversight in the region.
“9. Provide consultation via Boeing’s Airports Engineering team to open and/or expand airport capabilities and advisory on MRO development.”
According to a statement by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser, Media and Communications to the Aviation Minister, the Boeing Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing for Africa, Anbessie Yitbarek, expressed delight in the opportunity offered by the partnership to work with Nigeria’s aviation stakeholders in offering solutions to some of the challenges in the sector.
“We are excited to work closely with Nigeria’s aviation stakeholders to deliver tailored solutions that will help Nigerian airlines thrive in the competitive global aviation landscape. This MoU underscores our commitment to supporting the growth and development of aviation in Africa,” Yitbarek stated.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
