KIGALI, Rwanda — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Airbus to urgently deliver three Apache attack helicopters already ordered by Nigeria to bolster the country’s counterterrorism and security operations.
The President made the demand during a high-level meeting with a delegation from the global aircraft manufacturer Airbus on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, on Thursday, May 15, 2026.
“Nigeria needs attack helicopters urgently that can be used to confront and overwhelm terrorists. That is my priority now,” President Tinubu stated emphatically.
The President, however, also welcomed Airbus’ proposal to establish maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) hangar facilities in Nigeria as part of efforts to position the country as a regional aerospace and aviation services hub in Africa.
According to a statement issued by the State House on Friday, Tinubu emphasised Nigeria’s need for modern helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to support security operations, logistics, and broader national development priorities.
The meeting, led on the Airbus side by Thierry Cloutet, Head of Regional Business Growth for Africa and the Middle East, also covered Nigeria’s acquisition of the Airbus C-295 platform, defence aviation cooperation, aircraft leasing and financing models, as well as the possibility of establishing an aviation leasing company in Nigeria.
Cloutet commended President Tinubu’s economic reforms and proposed a comprehensive “360-degree engagement” model with Nigeria. This framework will span commercial aviation, military aircraft cooperation, human capital development, sustainability, operational hubs, maintenance infrastructure, and collaboration on satellite and Earth observation technologies.
The President expressed his administration’s commitment to deepening ties with Airbus, leveraging the company’s expertise in military and civil aerospace to address both security challenges and the modernisation of Nigeria’s aviation sector.
