Airbus says Nigeria Aviation industry will require nearly 160 passenger and freight aircraft by 2042.
Airbus disclosed this in its 2023 Global Market Forecast (GMF) report.
The Airline Marketing Director, Africa, Joel Ellers, disclosed this while addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja ahead of the the 7th Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition opening at the International Convention Centre, Abuja.
Ellers noted that amongst the aircraft
included; 131 single-aisle aircraft such as the A220, A320 families, and 28 widebody aircraft such as the A330 and A350 families serving the Nigerian market in the next two decades.
He explained that in the wider African continent, 1180 new aircraft would be needed for the continent by 2042, made up of 295 widebody and 885 single-aisle aircraft.
Ellers added that during this period, the fleet in the region would transition to new generation types such as the A220, A320neo family, A330neo and A350 bringing significant efficiency improvement and a corresponding reduction in carbon emissions per passenger.
He said, “Over the past 10 years, significant improvements to the industry have been made across the continent, including the creation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) as well as the modernisation of fleets by national airlines.”
Ellers further maintained that Aviation plays a pivotal role in driving economic development across the African continent creating jobs, facilitating domestic, intra-African and global trade and regional integration.
Its significance, he said, is particularly profound in the case of Nigeria.
According to him, Africa’s most populous country, marked by substantial landmass, a vibrant, dynamic and ever expanding economy. The aviation industry in Nigeria possesses the potential to emerge as the connective tissue that binds together its diverse regions and fuels economic progress.
Ellers added that Airbus also predicts that the aviation sector growth on the continent would drive average yearly services demand up by 4.1%, from $2 billion to $7 billion.
His words: “Growing Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services at both local and regional level are central to the sector’s growth, safety and longevity.
“The expansion of MRO capabilities in the country could serve to bring in additional revenues, reduce aircraft maintenance costs and provide even further opportunities for job creation and skills development in Nigeria and the continent at large.
“As Nigeria and indeed Africa’s aerospace industry grows and becomes more dynamic, an increasing demand for specialised skills is creating thousands of new opportunities for young people on the continent. Already, an estimated 7.7 million direct and indirect jobs have been created by the industry in Africa.”
Airbus, however, predicted that a further 17 000 technicians, 14 000 pilots and 23 000 cabin crew positions would be required across Africa in the next 20 years.