President Bola Tinubu has called for the faster delivery of attack helicopters to support Nigeria’s security operations, as he also welcomed a proposal by Airbus to establish aircraft maintenance and hangar facilities in the country.
- +Tinubu urges quick delivery of attack helicopters for security operations
According to a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday, Tinubu made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation from Airbus led by Head of Regional Business Growth for Africa and the Middle East, Thierry Cloutet, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
According to a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday, Tinubu made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation from Airbus led by Head of Regional Business Growth for Africa and the Middle East, Thierry Cloutet, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
Tinubu said Nigeria urgently needs modern aircraft to strengthen ongoing counterterrorism and internal security efforts across the country.
“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” Tinubu said.
He specifically urged accelerated delivery of three Apache helicopters already ordered by Nigeria, stressing the need to speed up deployment for security operations.
The president also expressed Nigeria’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Airbus in aviation and defence, including maintenance, financing, and aircraft leasing models.
He said his administration is committed to positioning Nigeria as a regional aviation hub through stronger partnerships with global aircraft manufacturers.
In response, Airbus officials reaffirmed their interest in expanding their presence in Nigeria, including potential investments in maintenance infrastructure, aviation leasing frameworks, and aerospace development initiatives.
Thierry Cloutet, speaking for the delegation, commended ongoing economic reforms and said Airbus is open to a broader “360-degree engagement” with Nigeria covering both commercial and military aviation.
The engagement, according to Airbus, would also include collaboration on human capital development, sustainability initiatives, operational hubs, and satellite and Earth observation systems.
The meeting is part of broader efforts by the Nigerian government to modernise the aviation sector and improve access to aircraft for domestic operators while strengthening national security capabilities.
