GTKL Europe leases 3 A220-300s to Nigeria’s Green Africa Airways

February 20, 2020: Nigerian start-up budget carrier Green Africa Airways has committed to leasing three A220-300s from GTLK Europe, the Ireland-registered arm of Russia’s State Transport Leasing Corporation, as per Russian Aviation Insider.

The Lagos-based startup airline has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for 50 A220-300, one of the major orders to be placed globally for the A220 programme and the largest-ever from the African continent. The orders are scheduled to become available in 2021.

“We have secured an inaugural fleet with GTLK Europe that will help bridge the gap between now and when our Airbus order book starts delivering next year,” commented Babawande Afolabi, chief executive of Green Africa.

Deliveries of the three initial aircraft – which are all brand new will be completed by August 2020, the airline stated.

According to January 2020 Airbus data, the manufacturer has now delivered six of the airliners to GTLK Europe, which has contracted for 14 units of the type from the European planemaker.

Founded and led by Babawande Afolabi, Green Africa has received its Air Transport Licence from the Nigerian government. The airline is anchored by a group of senior industry professionals led by Tom Horton, the former chairman and chief executive of American Airlines; Wale Adeosun, the founder and chief executive of Kuramo Capital; William Shaw, chief executive of InterJet; Virasb Vahidi, the former chief commercial officer of American Airlines; and Gbenga Oyebode, the founder and chairman of Aluko & Oyebode.