Nigeria is set to receive a dry-leased aircraft on October 6, after nearly 20 years, according to Festus Keyamo, minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
A dry lease is an arrangement in aviation where a leasing company (lessor) provides an aircraft to a lessee without crew, maintenance, insurance, or other operational services.
Keyamo made the announcement on Wednesday during the foundation-laying of Air Peace’s new maintenance hangar at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
He explained that the milestone comes through Air Peace, following Nigeria’s removal from a global blacklist as a result of implementing the Cape Town Convention.
For two decades, Nigerian airlines had relied solely on wet leases, but Keyamo noted that renewed global confidence in the nation’s aviation system had changed the narrative.
He explained that wet leases placed a heavy burden on passengers through inflated ticket prices, costly maintenance, and other overhead expenses.
“This is the first time we are going to have a dry lease. Dry lease means that confidence has returned to the Nigerian ecosystem.
“They are giving you your plane. Control it yourself. I wrote a personal guarantee for Air Peace to get that dry lease. I put my life and my reputation on the line,” he said.
On Air Peace’s upcoming Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul, MRO, facility, Keyamo emphasized that the project would save Nigeria vast sums of foreign exchange and curb capital flight.
“What this is going to save in terms of FX to this country is incredible. Air Peace alone spends about N180 billion yearly for maintenance; imagine what other airlines are spending.
“Monies that should remain within our jurisdiction went out. That is capital flight. With this facility here, we are going to keep that within Nigeria.
“We are now going to attract people to bring in their money, not only ours, but we are going to attract foreign inflows.
“In the whole of West Africa and Central Africa, there are no good MROs. The good thing is that this facility will accommodate wide-bodied aircraft. You do not have such in the whole of West Africa and Central Africa,” he said.
He credited President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Brazil for helping secure Embraer’s partnership with Air Peace in providing technical support for the new facility. According to him, supporting indigenous operators remains central to his mandate, with the Federal Government committed to strengthening local airlines.
The minister further noted that the MRO would introduce a simulator for pilots, reducing reliance on overseas training while creating avenues for foreign exchange earnings. He called on commercial banks to reinvest in the aviation sector, stressing that aircraft financing was now more secure.
Keyamo also revealed that Air Peace had secured approvals for four new international routes—Italy, Canada, Paris, and Istanbul. Still, he lamented that Nigerian carriers currently handle only about five percent of outbound international passenger traffic.
Air Peace, in August, announced the start of its MRO project in collaboration with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, with completion expected within 12 to 15 months.
The facility will allow Embraer jets to be serviced locally, cutting costs and turnaround time.
Chairman Allen Onyema said, “By September 17, we are going to inaugurate the commencement of construction of our new MRO, and Embraer will operate maintenance for Embraer jets. You will now be able to do it here, and people will also come to Nigeria to do the same.”
Onyema emphasized that the airline’s planned Nigeria-Brazil route, scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025, was secured on merit and capacity, not just investment in Embraer.
He added, “In Brazil, they signed several MoUs, but what really impressed me was their partnership approach, one that respects our sovereignty and is mutually beneficial… President Lula’s warmth showed a genuine eagerness to work with Nigeria.”
Keyamo also stressed the importance of connecting both countries: “Brazil is the biggest economy in South America, and of course, Nigeria is considered the biggest economy in Africa. So connecting these two economies was very key to both presidents,” he said, pointing out that bilateral trade had dropped from $10 billion to $2 billion in the past decade.
The unveiling of Air Peace’s MRO facility and the arrival of the dry-leased aircraft mark a turning point for Nigeria’s aviation sector—boosting confidence, reducing reliance on expensive wet leases, retaining foreign exchange, and positioning the country as a regional hub for aircraft maintenance and services.
