Breaking News: Airlines in Nigeria are now compelled to patronize local sources for repairs and maintenance of aircraft as forex scarcity makes it impossible to pay foreign firms for maintenance.
Managing Director/CEO of Aero Contractors of Nigeria Limited, one the foremost aircraft maintenance firm in Nigeria, Ado Sanusi commenting on the issue said “Since the unification of the foreign exchange, we have seen more airlines use our facility to carry out C-checks on their aircraft. Before the unification of exchange rates, airline operators were not coming to us because they used to get dollars from the Central Bank of Nigeria through the FX windows”.
He also said that all the hangars where air crafts brought for maintenance are parked are currently full and they are now temporarily using the Nigerian Air Force’s hangars to accommodate some of the air crafts.
Before the introduction of the policy to float the Naira, airline operators used obtain forex easily and at favorable costs to enable them expend for maintenance and other necessities.
But since the floating of the Naira took place it has been immensely difficult to obtain forex, forcing the the airline to seek Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) locally.
Some of the local firms involved in aircraft maintenance include Arik Air Limited, Avia Solutions Group (JetMs), Execujet Aviation Group, Skyjet Aviation Services and 7 Star Global Hangar Limited.
The Airline operators lament that the local servicing firms lack the modern techniques and technology needed to carryout thorough and comprehensive maintenance such as the C-checks and D-checks.
In a statement made available to 9AM News Nigeria, the Aero Contractors MD said “C-checks are classified into 1C, 2C, 4C and 6C. When you open up the aircraft, you could see corrosion or cracks in the airplane. Airplanes are like balloons, and when you inflate them, you get to see more than you budgeted for.
What we do when airplanes are brought to us is that we give operators a price for routine checks. But when we open the aircraft and find corrosion or more cracks, it could cost the airline more than they budgeted for routine checks,”.
He further said that the current costs for 1 C-check on Boeing is between $200,000 – $250,000. For 2 C-check it is about $250,000 – $300,000. For 4 C-check it costs around $500,000 – $600,000.
He also said that that non-routine checks and maintenance services can cost up to $1,000,000. And these cost are for the manpower or labour only and not for the spare parts.
Giving further clarifications, Ado Sanusi said “In Nigeria, the manpower rates are lower. For airlines to carry out checks outside the country, they have to pay for fuel to ferry the aircraft, navigational charges, crew and accommodation for representatives in the country.
“We have the capacity and the certification to carry out checks on Boeing 737s, Dash 8, Q400 and Bombardier,”
A simple conversation rate calculation carried out by Ogasabi of 9AM News Nigeria showed that when the exchange rate was still N400 to a dollar, the airlines were paying around N200 – N400 million for a C-check. But at the current rate of N1,500 to a dollar, the same C-check would now cost between N800 million – N1.5 billion for a single C-check on a Boeing 737 aircraft.
Isaac Balami, CEO of 7 Star Global Hangar one of the local firms doing aircrafts servicing operations, commenting on the issue said “As I speak to you, we are overwhelmed. Right now, we have four aircraft on the jack, which is the space the two hangars can take. We have several other aircraft on queue awaiting maintenance. We are even using a third hanger belonging to someone else in Abuja to do heavy maintenance right now in Abuja as approved by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA“.
“It is a billion dollar industry. Every year, what maintenance facilities spend to fix aircraft from Nigeria overseas is over $1 billion. These are aircraft from the presidential air fleet, the police air wing, private jet operators and commercial airlines.
“Aside USA and China, the third country in the world with the highest number of private jet owners is Nigeria. So, there are so many opportunities. We are currently struggling to see how we can meet up. We have secured land from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). We have finished the design and our partners from Europe will be coming to build the hangar for us”.
Mr. Balami said their new hangar will be built will be capable of accommodating 8 Boeing 737 aircrafts. He added that if aircraft maintenance services are done locally it would save the country billion of dollars and would bring a reduction in the cost of air transport.
A former president of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) Sheri Ayuba said some aircrafts can have their C-check done in Nigeria but others cannot.
“The 7 Star and Aero MRO are in the country and their rates are not the same. The factors that will culminate into the total cost of maintenance are not going to be the same. Some may use more funds and hands to get the aircraft out in a shorter time. Another may use minimal hands and maximum time,” Sheri Ayuba noted.
In another comment made available to 9AM News Nigeria, the owner of West Link Airlines, an aviation flying school, Captain Ibrahim Mshelia said “Every hour you fly, there is a maintenance cost required. Keep it somewhere, don’t spend it. I did it. When the maintenance is due, the money is there to pay for it. There was no time I took my airplane for maintenance and not pay to bring it back except something went wrong with the aircraft and I needed insurance to cover the costs,”
He said airlines needs to be given forex incentives to help them carryout their operations more easily for the benefit of Nigerians.
