Aviation Minister Receives In Audience, Chinese Ambassador, Chinese Aircraft Manufacturer, COMAC
The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIarb (UK), yesterday received in separate visits the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Yu Dunhai, and the management of China’s leading aircraft manufacturing company, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), led by Yang Yang, Vice President, Marketing/Sales Committee, Michael C. Luo, Technology Director, Deng Zhiliang, Deputy Head of Marketing Department, Tim Chen, Vice President of AVIC-KDN Airport Engineering Co. Ltd and Ma Mengyao, General Manager of AVIC-KDN Airport Engineering Nigeria Branch.
During the courtesy call, Ambassador Yu Dunhai expressed the commitment of the Government of the People’s Republic of China to support the Honourable Minister’s developmental concepts for Nigeria’s aviation sector. The envoy emphasized that aviation is a critical driver of economic growth and connectivity, noting that Nigeria, as the 6th most populous country in the world and the giant of Africa, offers immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.
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“Nigeria has the market, and I see the potential. The economy is going to bounce back soon, and China is ready to be a reliable partner in this growth trajectory,” Ambassador Yu stated.
In a separate engagement, Mr. Yang Yang, held strategic discussions with the Honourable Minister on avenues of collaboration between COMAC and Nigerian airlines, particularly in the areas of aircraft leasing, technical support services, and long-term cooperation.
The Honourable Minister, who had earlier visited COMAC’s headquarters in China, welcomed the discussions and reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness for strategic partnerships with the Chinese aviation giant.
“We are ready for this collaboration and will soon lead a delegation of domestic airline executives to COMAC’s headquarters to deepen these discussions. Nigeria is open to allowing COMAC to use our country as a base to access the wider African market,” Mr. Keyamo stated.
The twin visits mark a significant step in strengthening Nigeria-China aviation relations and open new frontiers for domestic airlines to access modern aircraft leasing and support services tailored to Nigeria’s expanding aviation market.
Tunde Moshood
Special Adviser, Media & Communications to the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development
Wednesday, September 17th, 2025
