Unscheduled maintenance issues forced Nigeria Air Peace to cancel flights to six states in January. Meanwhile, many African registered aircraft reportedly suffer at foreign bases, and are prevented from rejoining the fleet by unpaid bills.
That's a familiar story. ACI Africa's Executive Director Ali Tounsi surprised anyone when he said during a webinar for the African Aviation Association (AFRAA) that infrastructure challenges continue to challenge African aviation. He went on to note that sector success relies on strengthening government involvement, regional cooperation and strategic investment in infrastructure.
Despite encouragement numbers, recovery from the pandemic has been uneven across the continent. “Central Africa, for example, is lagging behind due to limited infrastructure and high operating costs, but political instability continues to affect parts of North Africa,” Tounsi said in a report.
The Lagos-based publication Businessday is reporting domestic MRO moves by United Nigeria Airlines, Xejet and Ibom Air, and investors' trust appears to be picking up.
United Nigeria signed the MOU in 2024 with Cronos Aviation, a Montreal-based international charter airline, to build an MRO in Nigeria. The agreement includes the transfer of technology from Chronos and supports technical training for United Nigeria staff.
In late January, premium class airline Xejet welcomed Nigerian Aviation Minister Festus Khiamo to turn the soil at the new $10 million Mr. Flight Support and Engineering Centre at Nundi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja (see sidebar).
Meanwhile, Ibom Air is working with Airbus Consulting on long-term MRO strategies and business plans, including full-scope A220 work. Airlines are reportedly considering replacing the Bombardier CRJ900S fleet with an Airbus type. The Airbus type was ironically developed by Bombardier as CSERIES.
Chief Operating Officer George Urisi said in a 2024 AFRAA webinar that “in order to carry out maintenance at home” was decided, but the investment was “very big,” saying staffing with qualified engineers “should “work with established MROs.”
The newspaper cited industry analyst Olumide Ohnayo, research director at Zenith Travels. The Minister of Aviation had approved the establishment of an MRO, but actual construction and certification remained a hurdle to be overcome.
But efforts can be rewarded. With neighboring countries still lacking their own MRO facilities, Nigeria is suitable to participate in the ranks of African countries such as Morocco, Ethiopia and South Africa, and can handle component repairs and services.
Aviation success stories in China and the Middle East could serve as blueprints for African aviation and government, said Captain Samuel Colelic, chief executive of Lagos-based Merchant Express Cargo Airlines. He told the interviewer that state-backed funding and subsidies allowed businesses to thrive through the provision of low-cost capital and investment in modern infrastructure, including MRO facilities.
The establishment of the Aviation Development Bank (ADB) will be a game changer for the sector, citing the Development Bank of China (CDB) as a model.
Capt Caulcrick, former president of Nigeria University of Aviation and Technology (NCAT) in Zaria, added that the government can set up ADB as a specialized financial institution, providing initial capitalization through funding, private sector investment or international partnerships, allowing banks to gain access to international aviation organizations, aircraft manufacturers, experts and experts.
Domestic MRO capabilities will provide significant direct and indirect benefits by deriving annual foreign exchange flows that serve aircraft overseas. In Dublin's recent airline economics growth frontier, stakeholders confirmed in an interview with the Nigerian News Agency (NAN) that MRO capabilities need to prioritize.
Among them was Hadiza Usman, a special advisor on Nigeria's policy and coordination, who said prioritizing MRO facilities would create jobs and save costs in Nigeria.
“For Nigeria, developing strong local MRO capabilities is essential, especially in plans to adopt a dry lease arrangement with Boeing, as the country is looking to expand its aviation sector,” she said.
The “robust MRO industry” supports the local economy by saving airline costs, increasing operational efficiency, creating jobs and building technical expertise. The strengthening of local MROs was also aligned with the broader goal of reducing capital flights and promoting independence in the aviation sector.
Elsewhere, Kenya Airlines (KQ) reached the milestone by obtaining EASA Part 145 certification for line and base maintenance for the Embraer E190 and Boeing 737 types, and obtaining line maintenance for the B787-8. It also covers component maintenance and special non-destructive testing (NDT).
The accreditation will allow KQ to serve registered aircraft in Europe, open new business opportunities and strengthen its position as a key player in global aviation maintenance, the statement said.
The airline plans to further expand its maintenance capabilities as it seeks to establish itself as one of the leading MRO providers in Africa.
We are seeking partnerships with SAA Technical (SAAT) to achieve our long-term goal of increasing the maintenance capabilities of the airline and establishing MRO as an independent business unit.
This potential collaboration is consistent with KQ's broader vision of creating an African-African alliance between African careers, the concept originally proposed in 2021.
The update of the fleet across the continent is affecting MRO. In Angola, as part of its fleet modernization efforts, TAAG Angola Airlines has signed a 12-year total component support (TCS) agreement with Lufthansa Technik for the new fleet of the Boeing 787-9 and -10. The first four of the orders arrived in Luanda on February 4th.
The global MRO provider will also support Taag Angolan with the Aircraft Production Inspection Program (APIP) covering all newly built 787s and Airbus 220s in the fleet. Currently, APIP consists of four 787s and 15 A220S, providing flexibility to cover additional aircraft as the TAAG fleet develops. Basic maintenance is not part of the contract.
Under TCS, the Luanda-based airline expects significant cost benefits to be seen through access to the global spare pool of Luftanza Technique. The contract also covers coverage of ground aircraft (AOG) and various part pooling and logistics work scopes.
Nelson Oliveira, CEO of Taag Angola, said in a statement: “With strong support (from Lufthansa Technik), we look forward to a quick ramp-up of the new 787 and A220 operations.
