Nigerian airline Air Peace has announced that construction will begin next September on a new Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Lagos. The project, carried out in partnership with Brazilian manufacturer Embraer, is expected to be completed within 12 to 15 months.
This initiative is seen as a major step forward for the aviation sector in Africa. According to experts, the future center could help bridge a structural gap and reduce costs for airlines across the continent. Nigeria, which operates one of Africa’s largest fleets, currently spends more than $2.5 billion annually on overseas aircraft maintenance.
The announcement was made by Air Peace Chairman Allen Onyema following his return from an official visit to Brazil. He specified that construction would begin on September 17, with Embraer handling the maintenance of the jets.
The project could help African airlines rely less on foreign maintenance centers, which currently generate significant additional costs. At present, very few African airlines have an MRO facility of this scale, with the exception of players such as Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Egyptair, and Royal Air Maroc.
It should be noted that while this Air Peace project is welcome news, it is not the first of its kind to be announced in Nigeria. Many similar initiatives—whether from the government or other private companies—have struggled to materialize in the past.
