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COMAC explores dry leasing support for Nigerian carriers

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Nigeria aviation market growing with leasing access, lower

fares

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COMAC to display a plane at Nigeria's airshow, organisers

say

(Updates Sept. 28 story with fresh detail on air show, minister

comment)

By Allison Lampert and Lisa Barrington

MONTREAL, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Nigeria's civil aviation

authority is looking into certifying China's C919 jet for the

country's carriers, its director general told Reuters, as

Nigerian airlines take on more aircraft and as relations warm

with Beijing.

Chinese planemaker COMAC is producing the narrow-body C919

to compete with leading Western planemakers Airbus and

Boeing ( BA ), and has held several talks with Nigeria over the

aircraft.

Nigeria's aviation minister this month said Nigeria was open

to COMAC using the country as a base to access the wider African

market.

However, state-owned COMAC faces challenges. Its two plane

models lack benchmark certifications from Western regulators,

and it is falling behind on delivery targets. The U.S. this year

temporarily halted exports of the CFM engines it

uses on the C919 due to trade conflicts.

NIGERIA'S GROWING AVIATION MARKET

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation with 230 million

people, has potential as a growing aviation market.

The civil aviation authority's director general, Capt. Chris

Ona Najomo, told Reuters the agency is considering the

months-long certification process for the jet to operate on

domestic routes, noting the absence of validation from Western

regulators.

"We're looking at the certification of the airplane. First

of all, that is where we have to start," Najomo said on the

sidelines of the U.N. aviation agency's assembly in Montreal.

COMAC intends to display one of its planes at Nigeria's

first international air show in December, a spokesperson for the

event told Reuters, without specifying which model.

COMAC OFFERING MAINTENANCE SUPPORT TO NIGERIAN CARRIERS

Najomo said COMAC officials had offered maintenance and

training support for any planes operated by Nigerian carriers,

and were exploring so-called dry lease arrangements, which

involve leasing aircraft without crew.

"We just told them that if they can make sure they

facilitate a good dry lease arrangement, it's better," Najomo

said.

Abdullahi Ahmed, CEO of Nigerian airline NG Eagle, expressed

interest in expanding his fleet beyond its current three jets

and said he would consider COMAC planes if certified and

accompanied by maintenance and training support.

Nigeria's improved Aviation Working Group rating reflects

stronger compliance with the Cape Town Convention, a treaty that

simplifies leasing aviation equipment.

Najomo said this development was boosting confidence among

lessors, enabling the country's 13 airlines to access newer

planes on the leasing market.

While air travel remains costly for many Nigerians, average

real airfare fell 43.6% between 2011 and 2023, according to data

from IATA.

Currently, the C919 is only operated by Chinese airlines.

COMAC's smaller C909 regional jet is also flown by three

airlines in Southeast Asia.