Airbus and Green Africa announce strategic partnership for 50 A220s

Green Africa Airways, Nigeria’s Lagos-based airline, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 50 A220-300 aircraft, with manufacturer Airbus.

It is one of the major orders to be placed globally for the A220 programme and the largest ever from the African continent.

The news was announced by Airbus, which employs more than 6,000 staff at its Broughton wing-making plant near Chester, at the Singapore Air Show.

Babawande Afolabi, founder and CEO of Green Africa Airways, said: “Together with Airbus we are incredibly proud to announce the largest order ever for the A220 from the African continent.

“The Green Africa story is a story of entrepreneurial boldness, strategic foresight and an unwavering commitment to using the power of air travel to create a better future.”

Airbus chief commercial officer, Christian Scherer, added: “We are excited about the Green Africa project, its legitimate ambition and its professionalism, evidenced by their most discerning choice for their operating assets.

“The unique characteristics of the A220 will allow the airline to unlock destinations and route pairs that previously would have been considered non-viable.

“We look forward to our partnership with Green Africa and to accompany their development with the most efficient aircraft in its class.”

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market.

It delivers fuel efficiency and widebody passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. It offers at least 20% lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous generation aircraft, along with significantly lower emissions and a reduced noise footprint.

By the end of January, the A220 had accumulated 658 orders.