Barely two months after Nigeria’s Federal Government signed an MoU with Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer has invited Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to Dublin, Ireland, for the Airline Economics Conference on January 12, 2025. The conference aims to assist Nigeria’s domestic operators with aircraft leasing solutions.
Recently, Nigeria’s global aviation rating improved from 70.5% to 75.5%, following the signing of the Cape Town Convention Practice Direction and the Updated Procedure for Recordation of Irrevocable Deregistration and Export Request Authorization (IDERA). This upgrade, led by the Aviation Working Group co-chaired by Boeing and Airbus, signals increased confidence in Nigeria’s aviation market.
In a letter dated October 24, 2024, Commercial Sales Director Moore Ibekwe acknowledged Keyamo’s leadership in enhancing Nigeria’s aviation industry. He highlighted the positive media attention on Nigerian aviation and expressed Boeing’s intention to capitalize on this momentum. Boeing has also been collaborating with Nigerian banks and Africa Trade Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI) to create a Credit Enhancement product, boosting security for global lessors interested in Nigeria.
The forum will feature representatives from the Ministry, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Nigerian banks, financiers, and Boeing. It aims to support Nigerian airlines in leasing aircraft over the next 24 months by establishing focused opportunities for global lessors, charting a promising path for Nigerian aviation.