The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Mr Festus Keyamo at the weekend continued his overseas tour with a visit to Airbus facilities in Toulouse, France.
The visit, according to a statement issued from Toulouse, was significant as members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) who accompanied the minister on the tour, engaged the top executives of Airbus in a strategic discussion which bordered on aircraft leasing and procurement.
Received on the visit by the CEO of Airbus, Mr Guillaume Faury, the minister inspected mock models of various Airbus aircraft, including the A320, A350, and the iconic A380 jumbo jet.
The statement also disclosed that Airbus made several presentations during the engagement, focusing on the future of aviation in Africa, particularly Nigeria because of its immense potential for growth and development on the continent.
“Recognising Nigeria’s strategic position as a regional aviation hub, both Keyamo and the Airbus team affirmed their commitment to forging a mutually beneficial partnership. Discussions centred on leveraging Nigeria’s size, population, and burgeoning air travel market to propel the country to the forefront of African aviation,” the statement added.
AON members on the entourage included the chief operating of Air Peace, Mrs Toyin Olajide, chairman of Bristow Helicopters, Mr Emmanuel Fubara, CEO of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi, and the chief operating officer of Ibom Air, Mr George Uriesi, among others.
