Monday, September 29, 2025 - The Federal Government has begun the process of certifying China’s C919 aircraft for use by Nigerian airlines, a move that could see the homegrown Chinese jet operating on domestic routes in the country
Capt. Chris Ona Najomo, Director General of the Nigeria
Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), confirmed the development in an interview with
Reuters on the sidelines of the UN aviation agency’s assembly in Montreal.
“We’re looking at the certification of the airplane. First
of all, that is where we have to start,” Najomo said, noting that the process
would take months to complete. The C919, built by state-owned Chinese
planemaker COMAC, is China’s first domestically developed narrow-body jet
designed to challenge Western manufacturers Boeing and Airbus. Nigeria has held
a series of discussions with COMAC as Beijing seeks to expand into Africa’s
aviation market.
However, the aircraft maker faces significant hurdles. The
C919 currently lacks certification from Western regulators, has struggled to
meet delivery targets, and earlier this year faced temporary export
restrictions from the United States on the CFM engines that power the jet.
Najomo said COMAC officials had pledged to provide
maintenance and training support for Nigerian carriers willing to operate the
jet. The company also proposed dry lease options — an arrangement where
planes are leased without crew.
“We just told them that if they can make sure they
facilitate a good dry lease arrangement, it’s better,” Najomo added, stressing
that such steps would increase confidence among aircraft lessors. He explained
that the engagement with COMAC is already helping Nigerian airlines, currently
numbering 13, gain better access to newer aircraft through the leasing
market.
Despite challenges in affordability for many citizens,
industry data shows air travel is becoming more accessible. According to IATA,
average real airfare in Nigeria dropped by 43.6 percent
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