As part of follow-up efforts to the Federal Government’s approval for the establishment of a national aircraft leasing company to support domestic airlines, a delegation from Nigeria’s aviation sector has secured deals with Airbus and other aviation institutions in France.

The delegation, led by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, visited France to explore opportunities for collaboration, capacity development, and aircraft acquisition.

Members of the delegation included officials from the Ministry of Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and stakeholders from the public and private aviation sectors, including a seven-man delegation from Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management (IBUAM) and 7Star Global Hangar.

The delegation toured Airbus’ narrow-body and wide-body aircraft assembly plants, as well as helicopter assembly facilities in Toulouse and Marseille, where Airbus executives showcased some of the latest jet and helicopter technologies.

The company also expressed interest in expanding investment opportunities in Nigeria and the wider West African aviation market.

During the visit, the minister secured opportunities for IBUAM and other Nigerian institutions to collaborate with Airbus in the areas of student exchange programmes and capacity development.

An understanding was also reached with Airbus to facilitate partnerships and create a platform through which Nigerian airlines could access new aircraft using a sovereign guarantee framework approved by the administration of President Bola Tinubu. Recall that Ibom Air had earlier received two aircraft through the current effort, expecting to receive two more brand new aircraft to be delivered to the airline soon.

The Managing Director of Ibom Air, Mr George Uriesi expressed gratitude to the Nigerian government and Airbus for the collaboration.

IBUAM also held discussions with École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC), one of Europe’s leading aerospace universities and a major supplier of technical manpower to Airbus, for a strategic partnership.

Commending the minister, IBUAM founding Chancellor, Isaac Balami, praised the initiative and efforts aimed at repositioning the aviation sector.

“With people like the Honourable Minister in the saddle, we are sure of a better industry,” he said.

Balami University was among the 11 private universities recently approved and accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC). The institution has since commenced academic activities, admitting students from Nigeria and the diaspora into its programmes, even as admission remains open through the Joint Matriculation and Admission Board, JAMB.

Recall that the Federal Government had recently approved the establishment of a national aircraft leasing company to support domestic airlines with access to modern fleets. The approval came during a meeting of the Federal Executive Council. Keyamo had described the initiative as a major shift in how Nigerian carriers will acquire and finance aircraft.

At the end of the working visit, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mahmud Adamu, while delivering his vote of thanks, commended the Nigerian government for creating opportunities to improve the sector. He also praised Airbus for its willingness to partner with Nigeria’s aviation industry.

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Daniel Okoh, has described religious literacy as an essential tool for national cohesion, especially in a diverse country like Nigeria.

Okoh, who co-chairs the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), spoke on Wednesday alongside the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. The statement came at the first Triennial Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja. He said Nigeria’s ethnic, cultural and religious diversity should be seen as a source of strength rather than division.

According to him, “Religious literacy is not merely the academic understanding of doctrines or rituals. It is the cultivation of awareness, sensitivity and respect for the beliefs and practices of others.”

He opined that misunderstanding and manipulation of religion often fuel division, conflict and mistrust, stressing the need to mainstream religious literacy into schools, public discourse and community engagements to counter misinformation, hate speech and divisive rhetoric.

According to Okoh, places of worship must become centres of enlightenment, where messages of peace, unity and responsible citizenship are consistently emphasised. He called for stronger collaboration among faith communities, civil society groups and the media to promote peaceful coexistence and national unity.

He noted that NIREC had, over the years, served as an important platform for dialogue, conflict resolution and mutual understanding between Christians and Muslims, saying that they have demonstrated that despite their religious differences, they share common values of peace, justice, dignity of human life and the well-being of the nation.

The CAN president reaffirmed the commitment of the Christian body to working with Muslims and other stakeholders to build a nation where all citizens feel safe, valued and respected regardless of their faith.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, however, dismissed claims of planned Islamisation of Nigeria, saying that Muslims were not planning to decimate the Christian population in the country.

According to him, much of the violence often described as religious is being misunderstood, deepening suspicion and mistrust.

The Sultan said, “Today, as I stand here, I want to affirm that Muslims are not in a hurry and are not planning anything like decimating the population of Christians in Nigeria. We are not in any position whatsoever to remove Christians from Nigeria. No, it is not possible.”