AS part of efforts to improve operational excellence, transfer skills and support long-term growth of Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem, Boeing has partnered with Aviation Techniks Academy (ATT Academy) to deliver a six weeks specialised training engagement delivered by Boeing for personnel from United Nigeria Airlines and ValueJet Aviation.

The Boeing Technical Maintenance Training Programme will hold at the ATT Academy, which will serve as the host training facility, providing a professional learning environment for the programme.

CEO, Aviation Techniks and Training International Limited, Odutola Joshua Olawale, hailed the partnership, noting that bringing together aviation giants means a lot to the industry and will open it up to world class opportunities. 


Expressing optimism that the training will provide opportunities in terms of expansion and transfer of skills and knowledge, he said traveling abroad to access this level of specialised training has become harder but with Boeing coming to Nigeria, he described it as a big win for the industry.

He added that ongoing reforms have renewed investors’ confidence in the sector and predicted a boom in Nigeria’s air travel business in the nearest future.

Speaking, Executive Sales Director, African region, Boeing commercial airplanes, Moore Ibekwe Jnr, said four factors have boosted the aviation sector n Nigeria. He went on to list access to credit and dry lease, improved technical capabilities, improved airport infrastructure and a stronger regulatory environment as the factors that have repositioned the industry in recent times.

He revealed that an MoU between Boeing and Nigeria, with nine pillars, was signed in August 2024. “We intend to enhance technical support and have specialists some in from time to time to maintain the Boeing aircrafts operating in the Nigerian airspace among other things. We also talked about airline operational safety support. We have several initiatives to work with the NCAA on improving air safety in Nigeria.”

He added that the understanding also covers airport infrastructure development, improving the runways and airport infrastructure.
He stressed that aircraft maintenance has always been a major issue and with their forecast of 1200 airplanes to be delivered on the continent in the next 20 years; about 77,000 aviation professionals will be needed to maintain these aircrafts.

“The service industry is a huge one and worth about $130 billion. Bringing in these airplanes would create jobs not just directly but also indirectly and develop the capabilities of our people as well.”

He said their goal is to ensure Nigeria is one of the countries in Africa with a fully well developed aviation sector, promising that a lot will change over the next few years.

Consul General of the United States consulate in Lagos, Rick Swart, hailed the partnership, saying it will help young Nigerians develop capability in the sector without having to leave the country. Hailing the thriving aviation sector in the country, he highlighted the company’s long-standing commitment to the sector.

“Boeing continues to invest in the people who keep Nigeria’s aviation industry moving safely and efficiently and today’s training programme is just another example of that commitment. Our efforts at the U.S. mission in Nigeria is to advance economic growth and strengthen commercial ties between the U.S and Nigeria.

“Companies like Boeing help strengthen critical sectors of the economy by bringing world-class technology, expertise, innovation and training to the market. In 2025, bilateral trade between both countries grew by 15 per cent or $15 billion, making Nigeria the US’ number two trading partner in Africa.”

He vowed to continue to work with the Nigerian government and private sector to support stakeholders to expand trade, encourage investment and support economic growth, with the aviation sector being a key part of this.
He noted that by investing in workforce development, Boeing is helping to strengthen aviation safety, improve operational excellence and support the long-term growth of Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.

“Across Africa, nearly 70 per cent of commercial aircraft in service are Boeing airplanes, underscoring the company’s long-standing partnership with the continent’s aviation trajectory. We appreciate Boeing’s commitment to developing the next generation of aviation professionals and look forward to continued collaboration that strengthens the commercial trade ties between the US and Nigeria,” he said.

Representing the minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, Special Adviser, foreign direct investment and capital improvement programs, Samuel Obafemi Bajomo, hailed the partnership, noting that repressive policies that were holding back the aviation sector have been reviewed in the last few years. He said this partnership stems from those reforms and a market that has opened up.
“We’ve been able to restore lessor confidence and brought back one of the largest lessors in the world to Nigeria after 10 years.”

He said the next step is building capacity and talent development to better serve the sector. “Like Moore said, training, building capacity, technology transfer, increasing capacity in terms of technical knowledge and technology for our operators, engineers and service providers is key and this is something that Boeing has been doing.

Managing Director, United Nigeria airlines, Osita Okonknwo, hailed the training, noting its importance to the sector. He said a training of this magnitude would ordinarily have been done in England, expressing happiness at bringing it to Lagos.

Managing Director, ValueJet, Captain Omololu Majekodunmi, also hailed the partnership, adding that it would be great to see a Boeing stimulator in Nigeria so they don’t have to take that money out of Nigeria.

“In the next 15 years or so, it would be great also to start assembling Boeing aircrafts here in Nigeria. We would have built the capacity and manpower,” he said.