The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has disclosed that Nigeria now officially has the largest private jet fleet in Africa, with nearly 240 private jets currently operating across the country.
Keyamo made the announcement during a strategic engagement with Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier Inc. in Montreal, where discussions focused on establishing a major aircraft maintenance, repair and service centre in Nigeria.
According to the minister, the proposed facility would significantly reduce the large volume of foreign exchange spent on maintaining Nigerian-owned aircraft overseas. He added that the project would create skilled employment opportunities, strengthen local technical expertise and position Nigeria as a regional hub for business aviation services.
“Nigeria officially has the highest number of private jets in Africa, with nearly 240 presently operating within the country, and so much foreign currency is repatriated weekly from the country for the maintenance of these aircraft,” Keyamo said.
He noted that the planned partnership forms part of the Federal Government’s broader aviation reform agenda aimed at modernising the sector through collaboration with leading global aircraft manufacturers, improving operational efficiency and expanding Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure.
