Santos Aviation services, a United States-based aircraft interior maintenance company, has entered into the Nigerian aviation sector with plans to provide refurbishment and maintenance services for aeroplanes in the country. This is the first of its kind in Nigeria. The new deal was sealed in partnership with 7-Stars Global Hanger, a Nigerian owned Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, from where Santos Aviation would be operating.

Speaking at the event, the CEO of 7-Star Global Hanger 7SGH, Engr Isaac David Balami promised that his company would work together with Santos aviation to give airlines value for their money with quality sourced materials overseas.

This new deal also seeks to create new employment opportunities for hundreds of Nigerians. In a statement, Balami said, “it is a huge relief, it is going to create jobs, it will increase safety and also the comfort of our passengers.”

The Centre Manager and a Delta Airlines trained aircraft interiors expert, Segun Adesanya told journalists in Lagos that the company was borne in other to bring aircraft interior maintenance to airlines in the West African region for easy accessibility.

According to Adesanya, Santos will undertake the renovation of aircraft seats, leather seats upgrade, cabin noise reduction, carpet biding, door panel repairs among others. He emphasised that jobs will be carried out according to specifications on non-comfort seats, cabinet food trays and restoration of carpet at a fraction of the cost of replacement.

The U.S based company would be addressing the maintenance need of aircraft owners in the country. Aircraft operators in Nigeria have been compelled by the absence of an aircraft interior refurbishment company to take their planes abroad for new interior designs. However, with this new addition, operators would be saving as much as $100,000 (N360 million) on the renovation of their plane’s interiors locally.