Nigeria To Start Manufacturing Airplanes Before Buhari Leaves Office

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has announced that Nigeria will start manufacturing airplanes before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari‘s administration in 2023.

Sirika, who disclosed this during an inspection visit to the Magnus Aircraft Industry in Pogany, Hungary, said that Nigeria will partner with the Hungarian firm to begin the production.

A statement by the ministry’s spokesman, James Odaudu, quoted the minister saying, “If we venture with them, we may start with assembling plant and later manufacturing.”

The minister added that the Magnus aircraft is an aeroplane that is good for Military training, has an aerobatic manoeuvre and is made of fully composite materials high strength and very lightweight.

Sirika said he was impressed with the plane’s features and is open to facilitating its production in Nigeria, emphasizing that its most interesting feature is that it is powered by normal car fuel and outperforms other training planes.

The Minister said the proposed partnership with the aircraft manufacturer will be subjected to further analysis to verify the market and government willingness to partner with a significant amount of money and logistics.

He emphasized that the local production of aircrafts in the country will facilitate the growth of Nigeria as a regional aviation superpower as it will also come with maintenance and repair facilities that will attract patronage from neighbouring countries.

Sirika noted that the present administration has created an attractive environment for international investors in Nigeria, especially in the aviation sector, with the ongoing implementation of the development roadmap which places emphasis on public private partnerships.