Tuggar Urges Airbus to Establish Maintenance Hubs in Nigeria.
By Caroline Ameh
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has called on Airbus to set up aircraft maintenance hubs in Nigeria to support the country’s growing aviation and defense sectors.
During an official visit to the Airbus Operations Facility in Getafe, Madrid—the largest Airbus industrial site in Spain—the minister engaged in high-level discussions with top Airbus executives. Key officials present included Juan Sell, Head of Public Affairs, Spain; Luis Hernanperez Fernandez, VP, Head of Sales, Africa; Candelas Segovia Rodriguez, International Government Affairs Manager; and Cristina Garvia Aliste, Representative for Corporate Analysis, Defence EU Matters, and Sales Support, Public Affairs, Spain.
A statement signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister, highlighted the discussions, which focused on Airbus’ interest in investing in Nigeria’s aviation and defense industries. The minister welcomed these engagements, stressing the need for deeper collaboration beyond trade. He advocated for localized investments, skills transfer, and workforce development to create jobs for Nigerians.
Airbus executives presented their aircraft models suited for Nigeria’s needs, particularly the C295—a multi-purpose aircraft adaptable for transport, humanitarian aid, and defense operations.
Tuggar urged Airbus to go beyond aircraft sales and consider establishing a maintenance and repair hub in Nigeria. He cited the country’s strategic position as a regional security hub for peacekeeping operations in Africa and emphasized the long-term benefits of training and empowering Nigerian youths in the aviation sector.
He also expressed optimism about the possibility of Nigeria evolving into a site for aircraft assembly and manufacturing in the future.
The visit concluded with a guided tour of Airbus’ maintenance facilities, offering insight into the company’s operational and technological capabilities.
