VIVAERO

With no progress in Europe and the US, Chinese companies are now trying to sell their commercial jets in Nigeria

Chinese aircraft manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) has expressed interest in selling its aircraft to Nigerian airlines. Yang Yang, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at COMAC, made this statement during a meeting with Nigeria's Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on September 17, 2025.

Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between Nigeria and China in the aviation sector, focusing on aircraft leasing, technical support services, and long-term cooperation with Nigerian airlines.

According to Newsaero, Ambassador Yu emphasized China's willingness to support economic recovery and aviation development in Nigeria, describing the sector as a vital engine of growth and connectivity.

In a separate meeting, Yang Yang explored specific cooperation opportunities with Minister Keyamo, highlighting the benefits Nigerian airlines could derive from COMAC's aircraft and services. The minister welcomed the discussions, noting that his previous visit to COMAC headquarters in China had already laid a solid foundation for deeper collaboration.

“We are ready for this collaboration and will soon lead a delegation of national airline executives to COMAC headquarters to further these discussions. Nigeria is open to allowing COMAC to use our country as a base to access the broader African market,” Keyamo stated.

COMAC offers three aircraft models: the C909 (78-97 seats), the C919 (158-192 seats), and the C929 (280 seats), the latter of which is still under design.

The first two models, certified by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), made their first commercial flights on June 28, 2016, and May 28, 2023, respectively. They currently operate in Asian countries, including China, Indonesia, Laos, and Vietnam, but are struggling to gain a foothold in the global market, particularly due to the reluctance of American and European regulators to certify them.

COMAC aims to compete with industry giants such as Boeing and Airbus in the global commercial aircraft market. However, the lack of certification from EASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is hindering its progress. To overcome this obstacle, the manufacturer is turning to Africa.

In April, COMAC had already conducted a prospecting mission in Ethiopia, where it offered its aircraft, as well as maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services and training for aviation professionals.