R-E-V-E-A-L-E-D: Private jet manufacturers jostle for Nigeria’s market

Private jet manufacturers from Europe and North America are not sparing any cost to win a significant share of Africa’s market, especially Nigeria which has an upper class with intense desire to fly on private aircraft.

Barely two months after

Dassault Aviation, a French private jet manufacturer brought some of its  latest business aircraft to Abuja and Lagos on a sales tour, Cessna Incorporation of United States arrived the country on Monday for similar display.

Two of the latest aircraft in Cessna stable (Cessna Citation Jet 3 and Cessna Sovereign) were displayed at the Abuja airport on Monday and Tuesday as well as at the Murtala Muhammed Airport on Thursday and Friday.

The aircraft were brought into the country by one of Cessna’s agents, Jetalliance, an Austria-based company, in conjunction with a Nigeria aviation company Airfirst Limited.

The team will later depart for Accra, Ghana and Abidjan for similar sales display.

About three months ago, Bombardier Business Jets Incorporation of Canada also came to Lagos for a sales tour and static display of one of its latest jets, Global 6000.

The team was led by the Sales Director, Africa, Bombardier Business Aircraft, Mr. Robert Habjanic, who said that the team was on a tour of 12 cities in Africa, including Lagos.

 Habjanic said Nigeria was the company’s largest market in Africa, with about 35 Bombardier-made business aircraft currently flying its airspace.

 He said the team had also showcased the relatively new business jet in other parts of the world.

He noted business aircraft market had been growing tremendously in Nigeria in the last five years.

He attributed this to the fact that “Nigeria is an emerging market.”

Economic downturn in Europe and America has led to a very sharp decline in demand for private jets in the regions and luxury aircraft makers are looking at Africa, Asia and the Middle East, now main markets for use of private jets.

According to industry analysts and players, Nigeria and China constitute two of the fastest growing private jet market in the world.

However, Jet alliance team told our correspondent that beyond selling business jets, the company could also help prospective buyers manage their airplanes.

The company said it could facilitate special lease finance arrangement for prospective aircraft buyers.

A former Managing Director of Aero Airlines, Captain Akin George, had recently commented on the increasing number of private jets being parked at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

These, he said, were different from the ones parked at the Lagos and other major airports across the country.

The growth in the purchase of private jet in Nigeria has also led to the development of multi-million dollars private jets hangars, where repairs and maintenance could be done in the country. Some of these are Execujets Nigeria Hangar, Caverton Hangar and EverGreen Hangar, all located at the Lagos airport.

An industry expert, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, said, “The economy is expanding, with increasing investments within the country and the region. This will invariably necessitate instantaneous travel that scheduled airlines cannot provide.”

“Also the privacy needed in a country filled with paparazzi can be an issue. Increasing political and religious issues are contributory. By and large, it will continue to increase if the economy continues with a lot of diversification inputs that naturally spread wealth.”

-Punch

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