Tinubu told the delegation that his administration was committed to strengthening Nigeria’s relationship with Airbus by leveraging the company’s expertise in military aircraft and aerospace development.
He also called for the speedy delivery of the three Apache helicopters already ordered by Nigeria to support ongoing security and counterterrorism operations.
“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” the President said.
The meeting also featured discussions on Nigeria’s acquisition of the Airbus C-295 platform, broader defence aviation cooperation, and aircraft leasing and financing arrangements.
According to Onanuga, the discussions covered export credit arrangements, sale-and-lease-back structures, and long-term aircraft financing models aimed at improving access to aircraft for domestic airlines and easing financing constraints in the aviation sector.
Tinubu also explored the possibility of establishing an aviation leasing company in Nigeria to unlock opportunities within the country’s aviation value chain and improve financing access for local operators.
In his remarks, Cloutet commended Tinubu’s economic reforms and efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s aviation sector, reaffirming Airbus’ interest in supporting the country’s long-term aerospace development goals.
He proposed what he described as a “360-degree engagement” model with Nigeria, covering commercial aviation, military aircraft cooperation, human capital development, sustainability initiatives, operational hubs and maintenance infrastructure.
The proposed partnership would also include collaboration in satellite and Earth observation technology.
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