The Nigerian government is working on approving China’s C919 airplane so it can be used by Nigerian airlines.
The head of Nigeria’s aviation authority, Captain Chris Ona Najomo, told Reuters that they are reviewing the jet in a process that could take several months before it can fly on domestic routes.
The C919 is a narrow-body jet made by Chinese company COMAC. It was built to compete with major aircraft makers like Airbus and Boeing. COMAC has held several meetings with Nigerian officials to discuss the jet.
However, COMAC is facing some problems. Its aircraft do not yet have key safety approvals from Western aviation authorities, and it is behind on delivery deadlines. Also, earlier this year, the U.S. stopped shipping engines used in the C919 due to trade issues.
Najomo said, “We are starting with reviewing the airplane for certification.” He made this comment during a United Nations aviation meeting in Montreal.
Najomo also said that COMAC had offered to help Nigerian airlines by providing support with aircraft maintenance and pilot training. They also discussed leasing the planes without crew, known as a dry lease.
“We told them it would be better if they could arrange a good dry lease deal,” Najomo said.
He added that these talks are helping to build trust with companies that lease planes. This could help Nigeria’s 13 airlines get access to newer aircraft.
Even though flying is still expensive for many Nigerians, the average cost of a plane ticket dropped by 43.6% between 2011 and 2023, according to global airline data.
At the moment, only Chinese airlines are using the C919 jet.
