Popular aircraft manufacturer Boeing has delivered about 40 brand-new aircraft, including the B737MAX, to African countries in the last six years.

Vice President of the company, its Vice President, Commercial Sales for Africa, Anbessie Yitbareks, said this during an interview with newsmen recently.

Yitbarek further said that over half of these, about 40 aircraft delivered to Africa in the past six years, were the B737-MAX jets and are being flown by the continent’s airlines.

According to him, no fewer than 55 of the continent’s airlines operate as members of the B737 family.

Yitbarek further added that Arik Air had placed orders for eight B737 MAX 8s in 2016 and two B787-9 Dreamliners in 2017 to modernise its fleet, while in 2018, Air Peace ordered 10 B737 MAX 8s to expand its network.

He hinted at Green Africa Airways’ commitment to up to 100 B737 MAX 8s as a landmark and the largest aeroplane deal by an African airline.

It is, however, not clear if these orders are still active.

He said, “In the last six years, we have delivered almost 40 new aeroplanes into Africa; more than half of these were B737 MAX jets, which offer the best per-seat economics in their class, as well as improved environmental performance and passenger comfort.

“It reduces fuel use and emissions by 20 per cent compared to the aeroplanes it replaces and has a 50 per cent smaller noise footprint.

“In Nigeria, Arik Air placed orders for eight B737 MAX 8s in 2016 and two B787-9 Dreamliners in 2017 to modernise its fleet. In 2018, Air Peace ordered 10 B737 MAX 8s to expand its network, while Green Africa Airways made a landmark commitment for up to 100 B737 MAX 8s, the largest aeroplane deal by an African airline.”

While also shedding light on the MoU the company signed with the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development in August 2024, Yitbarek said that the deal was to strengthen Nigeria’s aviation sector.

He said that Nigeria plays a vital role in the continent’s economic well-being being Africa’s largest economy, noting that to fully reach its potential, the country was pursuing greater connectivity with the rest of Africa and the world.

He said, “We are working closely with our suppliers, investing in workforce development, and leveraging advanced manufacturing processes to ensure we deliver high-quality aircraft as efficiently as possible.

“While these challenges have created some short-term impacts, our long-term outlook remains strong. We continue to see robust demand for our commercial aeroplanes and defence solutions, which support our forecasted revenue and activities. Our focus is on driving stability in production while not compromising on quality and safety.”