LAGOS, Nigeria — Could your next hop within West Africa be aboard a Chinese-built jet rather than a Boeing or an Airbus? Nigeria’s aviation regulator has confirmed it is studying China’s C919 single-aisle aircraft, a move that could give the state-backed Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) its first foothold on the continent—and offer Nigerian flyers a new alternative in a market long dominated by Western manufacturers.
Nigeria considering China’s C919 jet
Captain Chris Ona Najomo, director general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), told reporters during last week’s International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly in Montreal that his agency has begun the painstaking process of validating the C919 for local use. “We’re looking at the certification of the airplane. First of all, that is where we have to start,” Najomo said at the ICAO Assembly. The C919 is COMAC’s answer to the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737, the two workhorses that currently carry the vast majority of Nigeria’s domestic and regional traffic. While the Chinese jet entered commercial service in 2023, all of its flights so far have been for Chinese airlines. Certification by the NCAA would be the first step toward bringing the model onto African routes.
What certification means for travelers
Nigeria operates under a Category 1 safety rating from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and aligns its own airworthiness standards closely with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Because neither Western regulator has yet validated the C919, Najomo acknowledged that the Abuja-based agency will have to “start from scratch”—a process that could run for months and involve detailed inspections, simulator evaluations and local proving flights. For passengers, certification determines everything from seat-belt fittings to evacuation-slide deployment times. Without NCAA approval, no Nigerian airline can place the C919 on its air operator certificate, sell tickets or launch service. The regulator’s eventual verdict will therefore shape whether travelers ever see the aircraft’s distinctive duck-green COMAC cabin livery at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Incentives on the table
According to Najomo, Chinese negotiators have dangled various sweeteners to tempt Nigerian carriers, including engine maintenance packages, type-rating courses for Nigerian pilots and engineers, and dry-lease offers that would allow airlines to rent the jets without paying for crew or insurance. “We just told them that if they can make sure they facilitate a good dry lease arrangement, it’s better,” Najomo said during the same Montreal briefing. Dry leasing is a familiar route for Nigeria’s privately run airlines, many of which prefer to avoid the up-front capital expense of a direct purchase. Nigeria’s improved standing in the Aviation Working Group’s Cape Town Convention compliance index—thanks to more robust repossession laws—has already lowered lease rates for the country’s 13 airlines. A favorable deal from COMAC could therefore accelerate fleet expansion plans just as carriers seek new aircraft ahead of the year-end travel rush.
Airlines weigh their options
NG Eagle, a Lagos-based start-up that currently operates three aircraft, confirmed it is one of several Nigerian carriers evaluating the Chinese narrow-body. Chief Executive Abdullahi Ahmed said in an interview that any order would hinge on demonstrable long-term product support, an area where Boeing and Airbus already have decades-deep footprints in Africa. Industry consultants note the C919’s reliance on LEAP-1C engines built by CFM International—a U.S.–French joint venture—could pose complications should trade tensions between Washington and Beijing intensify. U.S. export authorities briefly paused engine deliveries earlier this year, bringing an unwelcome reminder that geopolitics can disrupt even the most carefully arranged fleet plans.
Key specs travelers care about
• Seating capacity: 158–192 seats in typical single-class layouts. • Range: up to 3,000 nautical miles, enough to cover Lagos to Johannesburg. • Cabin width: 3.9 meters, nominally equal to the Airbus A320. • Engine: two CFM LEAP-1C turbofans. [Range, width and seating capacity not specified in release—figures taken from publicly available COMAC data.] If certified, the C919 would give Nigerian travelers a cabin experience similar in layout to the 737 MAX or A320neo, with six-abreast seating, overhead bins large enough for roll-aboard luggage and optional in-seat USB power.
What’s in it for Nigerian flyers?
Nigeria’s real average domestic airfare reportedly fell 43.6 percent between 2011 and 2023, yet plane tickets still remain out of reach for many in a nation where per-capita income has remained flat. By adding a third manufacturer to the procurement mix, local airlines could gain new bargaining power, potentially shaving additional costs off leases and maintenance contracts. Savings that reach the bottom line often trickle down to the fare box, especially on competitive trunk routes such as Lagos–Abuja and Lagos–Port Harcourt.
Tips for travelers
- Monitor airline fleet announcements: A C919 order will likely be trumpeted months before the first commercial flight.
- Check your airline’s safety and on-time performance; new aircraft are only as reliable as the operations behind them.
- If a carrier introduces “C919-launch fares,” book early; inaugural flights often come with promotional pricing.
- Passport holders within ECOWAS enjoy visa-free travel on most regional routes the C919 could serve.
Broader regional implications
If Nigeria approves the jet, neighboring Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal may follow suit, aviation analysts say. That ripple effect could see China’s manufacturer ramp up after-sales infrastructure across West Africa, from Lagos-based spares depots to simulator centers in Accra. Yet skeptics point out that COMAC’s after-sales network remains thin outside China, especially compared with Airbus’ regional training campus in Johannesburg and Boeing’s partnerships in Addis Ababa. Insufficient spare-parts logistics could mean longer ground times, negating any up-front lease savings.
Frequently asked questions
When could I realistically fly on a C919 in Nigeria?
Even with an accelerated validation timeline, industry insiders estimate late 2025 at the earliest.
Is the aircraft safe?
The jet meets Chinese certification standards, but Western agencies like the FAA and EASA have not yet validated it. The NCAA will run its own tests before any flights take off in Nigeria.
Will tickets be cheaper?
Possibly. Additional competition in aircraft supply can lower operating costs, but final fares also depend on fuel prices, currency swings and airport fees.
What routes could see the C919 first?
Lagos–Abuja, Lagos–Accra and Lagos–Port Harcourt are likely candidates due to high passenger volumes and sector lengths that fit the jet’s range.
The bottom line
Nigeria’s consideration of the C919 signals more than a technical certification exercise; it underscores Abuja’s broader strategy of diversifying partners beyond its traditional ties to the West. For travelers, the outcome will decide whether boarding passes in the next few years bear the COMAC stamp—alongside, or in place of, the familiar Boeing and Airbus logos. If the NCAA green-lights the aircraft and airlines secure favorable lease terms, Nigerian passengers could soon have a new aircraft option promising lower operating costs and modern cabin comforts. For now, flyers can only watch the regulatory process unfold and hope that greater competition ultimately translates into cheaper, more reliable seats in the skies over West Africa. — as Najomo told reporters at the ICAO Assembly.
