President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed a proposal by global aircraft manufacturer, Airbus to establish maintenance and hangar facilities in Nigeria, describing the move as a major step toward positioning the country as a regional aerospace and aviation services hub.

The President also called for the accelerated delivery of three Apache helicopters already ordered by Nigeria, stressing the urgent need to strengthen the nation’s security operations against terrorism and other threats.

Tinubu spoke on Thursday during a meeting with an Airbus delegation led by the Head of Regional Business Growth for Africa and the Middle East, Thierry Cloutet, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said his administration was committed to deepening its relationship with Airbus, particularly in the areas of military aviation and aerospace development.

“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” Tinubu said.

The meeting also focused on Nigeria’s acquisition of the Airbus C-295 platform, broader defence aviation cooperation, and financing models aimed at improving access to aircraft for Nigerian operators.

Discussions covered aircraft leasing arrangements, export credit systems, sale-and-lease-back structures, and long-term financing solutions intended to reduce financial constraints within the aviation sector.

President Tinubu further explored the possibility of establishing an aviation leasing company in Nigeria to strengthen the country’s aviation value chain and improve financing access for domestic airlines and operators.

Cloutet commended the President’s economic reforms and ongoing efforts to stabilise Nigeria’s aviation industry, while reaffirming Airbus’ commitment to 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, operational hubs, maintenance infrastructure, sustainability initiatives, and human capital development.

The Airbus executive added that the partnership framework would also include collaboration in satellite and Earth observation technology.