Nigeria’s aviation sector notched a historic win at the inaugural Nigerian Aircraft Acquisition and Investment Summit (NAAIS 2026), where Aircraft Finance Germany (AFG) and Fidelity Bank Plc inked a game-changing aircraft financing and leasing partnership.
Held over two days in Lagos and convened by Pliance Global Aviation for the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the summit drew aviation giants like Airbus, ATR, Embraer, Metro Aviation, Formidion, Pexjet, EAN Aviation, and Global Apex Air. Financial powerhouses, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Afreximbank, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and Fidelity Bank, also joined forces to tackle longstanding hurdles in aircraft acquisition, financing, and leasing.
Initiated by Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo SAN, NAAIS featured four deal rooms that yielded concrete commitments. In Deal Room A, five local operators advanced leasing talks with ATR and Formidion for fleet growth. Deal Room B saw CBN pledge a bankers’ awareness session, Embraer offer export credit agency pathways, and FSD Asset Finance commit to an aviation finance roadmap. Deal Room C brought relief from the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), which clarified the 10% local retention policy and promised technical aid for OEM compliance. In Deal Room D, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Afreximbank deepened infrastructure ties, while First Metro Infrastructure eyed an Aerotropolis at Lagos Airport.
The AFG-Fidelity deal stands out, blending AFG’s expertise with Fidelity’s financial muscle to deliver tailored solutions for operators.
Stakeholders hailed it as a bridge to sustainable growth.
As the event wrapped, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority Director General Capt. Chris Najomo announced April 1-2, 2027, for NAAIS’s second edition, cementing the summit’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s skies.
Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the minister, emphasised the breakthroughs in a statement.
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