THE federal government of Nigeria said it had entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Boeing company, a major aircraft manufacturer, to guarantee financial, technical and other support for the airlines in the country.
The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, August 29 on his X handle.
The agreement was signed in Seattle, State of Washington, United States.
Keyamo said, “Yesterday, in Seattle, State of Washington in the USA, I led a delegation of the executives of major airlines in Nigeria under the auspices of Airline Operators of Nigeria and other important stakeholders in the civil aviation ecosystem in Nigeria to sign an important Memorandum of Understanding with THE BOEING Company, one of the major aircraft manufacturers in the world.
According to Keyamo, the highlights of the MoU include leveraging Boeing’s network of financiers and lessors to better position Nigerian airlines to acquire newer-generation Boeing aircraft.
It will provide enhanced technical support to help airlines introduce new or used Boeing Aircraft; and training in airline operations and business models to enhance airline business practices.
The agreement also contains the provision of technical support via access to Boeing data such as maintenance documents, engineering drawings, parts purchasing, and flight operations documents to streamline maintenance practices.
Other supports are the provision of Boeing field services representation in Nigeria or close by as on-site support and leadership-development training to help airlines enhance their leadership pipeline.
The minister stated further that the agreement provides collaboration with airlines’ in-flight operations, maintenance, and engineering to enhance safety and operational efficiency.
It also makes provision for collaboration with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) in close partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and regional regulators to enhance safety oversight in the region.
Keyamo added that the agreement provides consultation via Boeing’s airports’ engineering team to open and/or expand airport capabilities and advisory on maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) development.
Nigerian airlines operate under a difficult terrain as many struggle to survive the harsh economic environment.
Some of the challenges include the surging cost of aviation fuel, the exchange rate volatility, and other issues that impact airline operations.
In January, key players in the foreign aviation sectors had threatened to pull out their services from Nigeria due to their funds trapped.as a result of shortage of dollar in the system.
Many industry experts have decried the operating environment in the aviation industry and have argued the system was designed to frustrate airlines.
In recent times, some airlines have recorded technical problems that have led to their suspension.
The ICIR reported of Dana Air airline skidding off the Lagos airport and the aircraft grounded by its management and suspended by the Nigerian aviation authorities.
Another aircraft belonging to XEJet Airlines had also recently skidded off the runway at the Lagos airport.
The incident also led to the suspension of the airlines by the NCAA.