Nigeria had in the past assembled cars and is today assembling million of technology devices.

WOLE SHADARE writes that plans to begin assembly of light aircraft could help bring down the cost of airplanes and open up the economy

WITH good aviation policy, devoid of high power play from policy formulators, Nigeria can emerge as a global commercial aviation player.

Despite the fact that the country has lofty ambitions in commercial aviation, these ambitions have been stunted by lack of coordination, transparency and the desire to leave good legacy for generations unborn.

Over the decades, Nigeria ’s economy has expanded despite an underdeveloped infrastructure.

However, authorities in Abuja are becoming increasingly aware that further sustainment of its economic development requires an efficient system to move goods and people across the land mass of Nigeria.

Nigeria is viewed as the fifth top aviation market in Africa, after South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt and Kenya.

Around the world, about two billion flyers ply the skies each year for business and leisure travel. With the number of global travellers, growing at five per cent a year, airlines are expected to spend $2.8 trillion to acquire 28,600 new commercial aircraft over the next 20 years.

About 75 per cent of the global demand for civilian aircraft is for jumbo jets, defined as having more than 150 seats.

Nigeria is equally borrowing a leaf from other countries, with plans to begin the assembly of airplanes, just as the development is expected to bring down the cost of owning and operating airplanes.

The number of passengers travelling by air within Nigeria has more than doubled since 2000, while Nigeria-based airlines operate about 70 aircraft, a number that should increase to over a hundred by the end of 2015, with many more entrants.

With Arik’s plans to take delivery of more jumbo jets and lighter jets, the projection may well be ideal for the sector, coupled with other airlines to increase their aging fleet to newer ones.

Over the next 20 years, Nigerian airlines are expected to spend close to $100 million on over 100 new aircraft of which half of them are large-sized ‘jumbo jet’ aircraft.

To meet its growing demands for air travel, Nigeria is planning to expand its domestic aviation infrastructure, despite the confusion trailing the type of model the country wants for infrastructure development.

The country currently has 22 airports; with less than 10 able to accommodate B-747 sized aircraft.

The idea would also act as an enabler to the aviation sector by providing low cost training aircraft for both the civilian and military sectors.

Already, the promoter of the venture, 3i Nigeria Aviation is currently evaluating assembly sites for its operations and reviewing sites in Benue, Niger, Oyo and Enugu states, just as the firm would do that in partnership with reputable aircraft makers.

The firm, The Guardian learnt will undertake the assembly of light, propeller aircraft and other airplanes, which are ideal for the routes they operate.

According to the Chief Executive of 3i Aviation, Alex Nwuba, the firm’s assembly plant would help to revive dying airports that had none or limited flight service, support agulture, advertising and economic development.

To address the peculiar Nigerian market challenges with limited aviation gas, Nwuba noted that the aircraft engines operate on automotive fuel and should see about four years of use on-average before an overhaul.

He reiterated that business people can now learn to operate and own a private aircraft and can get more done and most importantly this project will revive Nigeria’s dead general aviation sector.

Nwuba, who was a former managing director of Associated Airlines, disclosed that his firm had also concluded arrangement to establish one assembly site, two flight training centres, with the capacity to create as many as 500 high paying technology jobs.

His words, “Local assembly will bring down the cost of owning and operating and aircraft, thereby acting as an enabler to the aviation sector by providing low cost training aircraft for both the civilian and military sectors”.

“3i aircraft assembly in Nigeria is expected to revive dying airports that hereto had none or limited flight service, support agriculture, advertising and economic development. Business people can now learn to operate and own a private aircraft and can get more done and most importantly this project will revive Nigeria’s dead general aviation sector”, he added.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=41167:air-travel-gets-boost-with-aircraft-assembly-plant-in-nigeria-&catid=32:business-travel&Itemid=563

do a google of 3i nigeria aviation and what do you find absolutely nothing!


so easy to make money of the govt, visit some phoney states and they'll dash you land and give you money as support
Voila

Thanks for the article Alj Uche. First, we manufacture trucks, SUVs and cars (innoson motors), and now we're looking to assemble airplanes.

Once Jonathan gets the steel plants working at optimal level as he's promised, we'll be on the road to becoming black Africa's first industrial power.

Excellent news.

ROSSIKE:

Thanks for the article Alj Uche. First, we manufacture trucks, SUVs and cars (innoson motors), and now we're looking to assemble airplanes.

Once Jonathan gets the steel plants working at optimal level as he's promised, we'll be on the road to becoming black Africa's first industrial power.

Excellent news.

i know, i just hope the ajaokuta steel plant will be up to the task. the sooner we get it started the better

imagine, gradutes in engineering in nigeria will have windows of oppurtunties to have jobs

excess would be sold to other countries mostly africa

our currency will jump up

nigerians will have something to be happy about after many years

this might even jump start investors to invest in energy supplies for sure companies (because sure makets will be created and opened), thus creating more jobs and more power supply to various part of the country

Allah answer our prayers ooo

Alj Uche said:

i know, i just hope the ajaokuta steel plant will be up to the task. the sooner we get it started the better

imagine, gradutes in engineering in nigeria will have windows of oppurtunties to have jobs

excess would be sold to other countries mostly africa

our currency will jump up

nigerians will have something to be happy about after many years

this might even jump start investors to invest in energy supplies for sure companies (because sure makets will be created and opened), thus creating more jobs and more power supply to various part of the country

Allah answer our prayers ooo

Definitely secondary industries will spring up to service the new industrial developments. As well as research and development (R & D) institutes.

We've not even mentioned the new national rail network currently under construction. This will serve to move goods and people across the nation quicker, enhancing business activity exponentially.

The future is bright.

What we don't need is another regime coming into power to derail all these programs in the name of ''probe''.

where is the electricity to power it?

The electricity is on its way.

Meine, haven't u heard that contracts for power projects have been awarded by gej? So why ur questn?

abegi helep me ask those lun.atics

meine:


where is the electricity to power it?

Nsiman:

Meine, haven't u heard that contracts for power projects have been awarded by gej? So why your questn?

we've also heard of the contracts awarded before gej, ?

ROSSIKE:

Alj Uche said:

Definitely secondary industries will spring up to service the new industrial developments. As well as research and development (R & D) institutes.

We've not even mentioned the new national rail network currently under construction. This will serve to move goods and people across the nation quicker, enhancing business activity exponentially.

The future is bright.

What we don't need is another regime coming into power to derail all these programs in the name of ''probe''.

gbammmm

meine:


where is the electricity to power it?

no since there is no electroty to power it, the company will have to improvise and thus making electrity not only for there company but also for there neigbours which will spread easily

moreover, this company will open the power sector again for private investors