The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has hinted at the Federal Government’s plan to establish an aircraft manufacturing firm in Nigeria.

He noted that the move aligned with the government’s vision to support local operators and boost the nation’s aviation industry.

Keyamo made this announcement during the launch of XeJet’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, MRO, facility and flight support centre in Abuja.

The facility is a collaboration between XeJet and indigenous banks, which is aimed at transforming Nigeria into a regional hub for aviation services.

Keyamo said: “Since we came to office, we’ve been focused on attracting MRO facilities to our aviation ecosystem, just as they exist in other parts of the world.

“We’ve searched far and wide for investors, but now we see that what we were looking for elsewhere is right here at home. This collaboration between an indigenous operator and local banks is a dream come true.”

Emphasising the project’s significance, the minister noted the inclusion of additional facilities, such as a training centre, which he described as “a huge achievement.”

Keyamo added: “This development will not only serve Nigeria but will attract users from across the West African sub-region. That’s the dream—to make this facility a regional center for excellence.”

Speaking on the broader vision, the Chief Executive Officer of XEJet, Emmanuel Iza, highlighted plans to position Nigeria on the global map of aircraft manufacturing, repairs and operations.

“The vision is ambitious. It is to contribute to aircraft manufacturing, even if it’s just components like wings, landing gears, or tires. Nigeria has the talent and ability; we just need the enabling environment and facilities to make it happen,” he said.

Iza, who also noted the number of jobs the multi-million dollar project was set to offer to Nigerians, said: “Currently, XeJet employs about 300 people. With this new facility, we expect to quadruple that number.