Keyamo Meets Chinese Aircraft Manufacturer on Leasing Deal for Nigerian Airlines

The Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, and a delegation from the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) met with Festus Keyamo, the minister of aviation and aerospace development, on Tuesday to talk about collaborations for the advancement of Nigeria’s aviation industry.

The COMAC delegation, led by Yang Yang, the vice-president of the marketing and sales committee, was composed of Tim Chen, vice-president of AVIC-KDN Airport Engineering Co. Ltd.; Ma Mengyao, general manager of AVIC-KDN Airport Engineering, in Nigeria; Michael C. Luo, technology director; and Deng Zhiliang, deputy head of the marketing department.

The minister’s special assistant on media and communications, Tunde Moshood, said in a statement on Wednesday that the meetings took place independently in Abuja.

Dunhai reiterated the commitment of the Chinese government to advancing the minister’s plan for the growth of Nigeria’s aviation sector.

He emphasized aviation as a major driver of economic growth and improved connectivity, pointing out that Nigeria, the continent’s largest country and sixth most populous country in the world, has countless chances for profitable collaboration.

“I see the potential, and Nigeria has the market. China is prepared to be a dependable partner in this economic trajectory, and the economy will soon recover,” Dunhai stated.

The vice-president of COMAC’s marketing and sales committee discussed potential areas of cooperation with Nigerian airlines in a separate meeting. These areas included long-term cooperation, technical support services, and aircraft leasing.

Keyamo, who had previously visited COMAC’s headquarters in China, reportedly praised the talks and reaffirmed Nigeria’s willingness to form strategic alliances with the Chinese aviation behemoth, according to Moshood.

The minister declared, “We are prepared for this partnership and will shortly lead a delegation of domestic airline executives to COMAC’s headquarters to deepen these discussions.”

“We are willing to let COMAC use Nigeria as a base to access the larger African market.”

The dual visits, according to the statement, are a major step toward improving Nigeria-China aviation ties and provide new opportunities for domestic airlines to acquire cutting-edge aircraft leasing and support services catered to Nigeria’s growing aviation industry.