Nigeria’s civil aviation authority is considering certifying China’s C919 jet for use by local airlines, its director general said, as Africa’s most populous nation seeks to expand its aviation market and deepen ties with Beijing.
The single-aisle C919, built by Chinese state-owned planemaker COMAC to compete with Boeing and Airbus, currently operates only with Chinese airlines and lacks validation from Western regulators.
COMAC has been holding talks with Nigerian officials as it seeks entry into Africa’s growing aviation sector.
“We’re looking at the certification of the airplane. First of all, that is where we have to start,” said Capt. Chris Ona Najomo, head of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on the sidelines of the U.N. aviation agency’s assembly in Montreal.
The certification process, he noted, would take several months.
Najomo said COMAC has offered Nigerian carriers training and maintenance support and was exploring dry lease arrangements, where planes are leased without crew. “We just told them that if they can make sure they facilitate a good dry lease arrangement, it’s better,” he said.
Nigerian airline NG Eagle, which operates three aircraft, expressed interest in acquiring COMAC planes once certified. “We would consider them if accompanied by proper maintenance and training support,” CEO Abdullahi Ahmed told Reuters.
Nigeria, with 230 million people, has become an attractive market for global aviation. Its improved Aviation Working Group rating, reflecting stronger compliance with the Cape Town Convention, has boosted confidence among lessors and helped the country’s 13 airlines access newer aircraft.
Air travel remains costly for many Nigerians, but IATA data shows real airfare prices have dropped by 43.6% between 2011 and 2023, supporting rising demand.
COMAC faces hurdles in Africa and globally, with the U.S. earlier this year temporarily halting exports of the CFM engines that power the C919 amid trade tensions.
Still, the company is pressing ahead with efforts to broaden its footprint, offering not only the C919 but also its smaller ARJ21 regional jet, currently operated by several Southeast Asian carriers.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
