The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has flagged off the construction of the XeJet Flight Support and Engineering facility valued at about $10 million at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The facility, to be constructed by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) over a period of 18 months, will include a Private Business Terminal building, a Maintenance Hangar, hotels, conference centres, and more.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony near the second runway of the Abuja Airport on Monday, Keyamo said the facility aligns with the vision of the current administration for the growth and development of local operators. The administration has consistently stressed the need for a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) aircraft facility as obtainable in other parts of the world.
He expressed his happiness about having an indigenous airline, in collaboration with Nigerian banks, not only building an MRO but also establishing other flight support facilities.
Keyamo disclosed that the federal government has also attracted a similar project, as a company has been allocated resources to develop an Aircraft Manufacturing Company.
He said, “The government may not have any money to give to airlines, but it must create an enabling environment and the right policy to support growth and development. XeJet, we give you all the necessary support.”
Keyamo assured that the Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) would send in their engineers to ensure compliance with all regulations, making the facility world-class and capable of attracting other countries to use it.
He further revealed that XeJet has been operating the national airline of Sierra Leone and has been approved to run the Lagos-to-Freetown route.
The Chief Executive Officer of XeJet, Emmanuel Iza, said the facility would provide flight support services to business passengers and enhance aircraft maintenance services. He noted that their aim is to put Nigeria on the map of aircraft manufacturers.
He stated that even if they are unable to manufacture a complete aircraft, they aspire to provide component parts of aircraft, adding that Nigeria has the talent and facility. All that is required is an enabling environment to support Nigerians to take off.
He disclosed that the construction work would be done in two phases: groundwork, including creating a runway and taxiways connecting the facility to the airport, and the erection of structures.
Speaking about the Private Business Terminal, the Chairman stated that the tarmac would be built to world-class standards, enabling private jet owners to access top-notch services similar to those in other developed nations.
