Airline Management Support Limited (AMSL), Aero MRO put up a strong presence at the recently concluded 9th Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda, to underscore their commitment to the development of the aviation industry in Nigeria and across the continent.

AMSL is a Nigerian company primarily focused on supplying aircraft parts like tires, consumables, and expendables.

Aero MRO, a subsidiary of the oldest airline in the country, Aero Contractors, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and another aviation related group, Women In Aviation (WiA) were also in attendance.

Others are: Airbus, Dunlop, Rolls Royce, AFRAA, AFBAA, Diamond Aircraft, Aeroworld, Ethiopian MRO, Embraer, Flyco Training Services, NAVPASS, Mediterranean Aviation Services, Etam Aviation Services Ltd etc.

President Paul Kagame opened the event thanking the organisers, Times Aerospace Events Ltd, for once again bringing it to Rwanda, emphasising that his government was honoured to host the event.

He said Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition (AVAF25) has been pivotal in the growth of aviation in the continent of Africa.

Kagame emphasised the importance of drones in the areas of time management and saving lives, saying, “Today, a self-flying Air Taxi will take to the skies. It is the first time in the African continent”.

Assuring that in the coming years air traffic was expected to double, Kagame said efforts have been made by the Rwandan government to open up the skies, commending AFCFTA for its enabling role in economic prosperity.

He announced that Rwanda has removed visa restrictions for all African citizens, adding that RwandAir is also expanding its fleet. He equally noted that African airline operators face high operational costs and infrastructural gaps in Africa.

Noting that travel should not be exclusively for the rich, President Kagame advised that Africa can achieve much more if they are together as they have all the resources and capabilities.

Also speaking, chairman, Aviation Africa Summit, Alan Peaford commended the Rwandan government for the successes recorded by the Summit over the years, adding that Rwanda is a global leader in collaboration.

He observed that Africa’s aviation sector is affected by very expensive fuel and airport taxes, just as there is shortage of security workers.

“Rwanda was the torchbearer for change and in 2017, with thanks to President Paul Kagame and the commitment and support of RCAA, the Ministry of Infrastructure and other Rwandan departments, we were able to bring Aviation Africa into Africa with the industry free to access Kigali without hindrance,” Peaford said.

“While Rwanda may have been slow to embrace the openness that Rwanda offered then, it is gradually happening with the African Union’s flagship initiative to create a Single Unified Air Transport Market in Africa (SAATM). ”

The event attracted exhibitors comprising manufacturers, civil aviation regulators, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), ground service providers, aviation insurance providers, aircraft tyre makers, among others.

Speaking at the AMSL stand in Kigali, David Olubadewo, chief executive officer of AMSL, said the Summit is unique in the sense that it is a big one.

Olubadewo who described the Summit as a success pointed out that there were no hitches as recorded in other places in the past, adding that coming to the Summit was easy enough.

He noted that, though the Summit was a success, not many Nigerians attended the summit as expected.

Kemi Olubadewo, general manager of AMSL, confirmed the success of the summit, adding that AMSL came to break new frontiers.

She said: “As the industry is growing, AMSL is also growing in terms of consumables like tyres, oil, etc, needed for easy operations of the industry”.