BINANI AIR Partners Global Aviation Firm for Abuja MRO Facility, Targets $218m Annual FX Retention
Oru Leonard
BINANI Global Air Services has commenced plans for the development of a major Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Abuja in partnership with a global aviation company, with the project projected to retain about $218 million in foreign exchange annually in Nigeria.
Chairperson of BINANI AIR, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, disclosed this while highlighting the potential impact of the proposed facility on Nigeria’s aviation industry.
According to her, the investment is designed to support the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen local aviation capacity under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, while reducing the reliance of Nigerian airlines on overseas maintenance centres.
Senator Aishatu explained that Nigerian carriers currently send a significant proportion of their heavy aircraft maintenance work, including C and D checks, to facilities outside the country, particularly in Europe, the Middle East and other African countries.
“Currently, domestic airlines outsource the vast majority of their heavy maintenance checks, such as C checks and D checks, to foreign facilities in Europe, the Middle East, and other African nations like Egypt and Ethiopia. This project will reduce this dependency while retaining and attracting FX of about 218 million US dollars annually,” she said.
The proposed Abuja facility comes amid longstanding concerns over the huge foreign exchange costs associated with aircraft maintenance and Nigeria’s limited capacity to undertake major maintenance checks locally.
C and D checks require specialised infrastructure, sophisticated equipment and highly skilled aviation engineers and technicians. The limited availability of such facilities in Nigeria has compelled local airlines to seek maintenance services abroad, resulting in substantial foreign exchange outflows.
Beyond reducing the cost and frequency of overseas maintenance, the proposed MRO facility is expected to contribute to the development of Nigeria’s aviation technical workforce through the creation of specialised employment and training opportunities.
Industry stakeholders also believe a fully operational heavy-maintenance facility in Abuja could strengthen Nigeria’s position as an aviation services hub and potentially attract aircraft from other African countries, subject to the facility’s capacity, regulatory approvals and international certification.
For BINANI AIR, the proposed investment represents a move beyond passenger operations into critical aviation infrastructure, with potential benefits extending across the wider industry.
The success of the project, however, will depend largely on its execution, regulatory compliance and ability to meet internationally recognised aviation safety and maintenance standards.
Nigeria has for years explored ways of developing indigenous aircraft maintenance capacity. The proposed BINANI AIR facility could therefore represent a significant step if the project progresses from planning to the construction and commissioning of a fully operational hangar capable of undertaking major aircraft maintenance checks locally.
If successfully delivered, the facility could help keep more Nigerian aircraft at home for heavy maintenance, conserve foreign exchange, strengthen local technical expertise and establish Abuja as an important aviation maintenance centre in the region.
