China's C919 Seeks an African Foothold as Certification and Support Gaps Slow Its Ambitions

A new aircraft choice, with conditions still to meet

China's C919 passenger jet is seeking a place in Africa's aviation market, with room for 158 to 192 passengers and a range of up to 5,500 kilometres. As of July 4, 2025, interest from African airlines and governments offers its manufacturer, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), an opening to challenge Boeing and Airbus. Widespread adoption, however, depends on regulatory approval, reliable maintenance and the supply of spare parts.

Kenya Airways has expressed interest in the aircraft, while Nigeria and the Republic of the Congo have also signalled intentions to buy it. Congo's government announced plans to acquire three C919s by September 2024. No completed delivery under that plan is identified, and no firm date is given for the aircraft's entry into African airline service.

African carriers are considering the C919 as they look for more aircraft choices, potentially lower costs and ways to expand their networks. Its arrival could influence fleet purchasing decisions and connections between cities, but buying an aircraft also means securing the people, equipment and technical support needed to keep it flying.

The opportunity rests on growing demand. Abderahmane Berthe, secretary-general of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), expects the continent's air traffic to double every 15 to 20 years. A rising middle class, more business and tourism travel, and efforts toward greater regional integration are driving that growth. African airlines nevertheless face high operating costs, limited fleet choices and a longstanding dependence on Western aircraft manufacturers.

Why African airlines want more choice

Berthe sees Chinese aircraft as a possible way for African airlines to diversify their fleets, reduce costs and develop more routes. He has called for a closer relationship between the continent's aviation industry and COMAC:

It would be good to establish a partnership with COMAC to diversify the value chain of aircraft on the continent.

The aircraft value chain includes the businesses and services that support a plane throughout its working life. For an airline, the purchase is only one part of the commitment. Training crews, maintaining engines, obtaining replacement components and arranging technical assistance all affect the cost of operating a fleet.

COMAC's potential appeal also reflects conditions at its established competitors. Boeing and Airbus have order backlogs stretching years into the future, alongside supply chain disruptions and production bottlenecks. Safety concerns are another challenge affecting the competitive environment. An additional supplier could give African airlines more purchasing options and potentially improve their position when negotiating terms.

Competitive pricing and operating efficiency are among the attractions associated with the C919. The savings an African airline could achieve would depend on the aircraft's performance within its own network and on the cost and availability of support. Those practical considerations connect the promise of cheaper aircraft with the daily task of running reliable services.

What the C919 can carry and where it can fly

The C919 is a narrow body aircraft with two engines, designed to compete directly with the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. These are single aisle passenger jets used for routes that need substantial seating capacity without the size of larger aircraft.

COMAC's aircraft has the following specifications:

• Seating capacity of 158 to 192 passengers.
• A range of 4,100 to 5,500 kilometres across its standard and extended range variants.
• CFM International LEAP-1C turbofan engines.
• A cabin that can be configured for business, premium economy and economy classes.

CFM International is a joint venture between GE and Safran. The C919 combines its LEAP-1C engines with modern avionics, the electronic systems used to operate and navigate an aircraft, and modern passenger comforts. Its capacity and range make it suitable for regional services and some intercontinental routes.

Equipment, engines and avionics similar to those used in existing Airbus and Boeing aircraft could help African operators make the transition and lower some training and maintenance barriers. The aircraft would still be a new type within an airline's fleet, bringing its own operating and support requirements.

Chinese airline service provides an operating record

COMAC has delivered C919 aircraft to China Eastern, Air China and China Southern. The jet has logged thousands of commercial flights on domestic services and, more recently, routes such as Shanghai to Hong Kong, described among its international operations.

Those flights give the aircraft an operating record as COMAC seeks customers abroad. African airlines considering a purchase must also assess how the jet would fit their routes and whether technical assistance would be available close to their operating bases.

Some aviation industry figures remain sceptical about demand outside China. Steven Udvar-Hazy, executive chairman of Air Lease, described the relationship between the manufacturer and prospective buyers in these terms:

The CCP [Chinese Communist Party] and COMAC are very interested in selling the C919, but it's a one-way dating relationship.

Udvar-Hazy and other industry observers point to missing international certification and limited support infrastructure as major barriers to broader adoption. Both issues affect the decisions airlines must make before committing money and routes to a new aircraft type.

Certification sets the pace of expansion

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has certified the C919. The aircraft does not yet have approval from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) or the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Those approvals are often required by African regulators and airlines and can affect access to financing and insurance.

Certification involves a regulator examining whether an aircraft meets its safety requirements. For the C919, that means assessing the design, its systems and operational performance, supported by extensive flight testing and documentation. Using components from established foreign suppliers still leaves the regulator with the task of examining how the complete aircraft works.

Florian Guillermet, EASA's director, explained why the assessment extends beyond individual components:

Even with foreign-made parts, we must evaluate the entire system's integration.

EASA estimates that certification could take three to six years, with completion unlikely before the late 2020s. That timetable makes regulatory approval a central consideration for African airlines weighing a purchase.

The approval process is expected to constrain expansion outside China and a handful of Southeast Asian countries. For African carriers interested in the C919, the timing of the permissions needed for their intended operations remains a central part of any fleet decision.

Kenya, Nigeria and Congo signal interest

Kenya Airways has expressed interest in acquiring the C919 for its planned Nairobi to Beijing route. Julius Thairu, the airline's chief commercial and customer officer, has said any purchase decision would depend on the aircraft meeting international safety standards and on the availability of support infrastructure.

Nigeria and the Republic of the Congo have also signalled intentions to purchase the aircraft. Congo's announced plan for three jets by September 2024 gives a specific indication of the scale of its interest, while Kenya Airways' position places safety approval and operational support at the centre of its assessment.

African interest forms part of a wider effort to diversify aircraft suppliers. Carriers want equipment that can support network expansion while keeping costs manageable. The C919's potential price and efficiency advantages must therefore be weighed alongside the practical expense of introducing a different aircraft into an existing fleet.

The dates and targets shaping the aircraft's prospects span several years:

• September 2024: The deadline Congo's government announced for its planned acquisition of three C919 aircraft.
• 2025: COMAC's target is to deliver 30 C919s.
• The late 2020s: EASA certification is considered unlikely before this period, with the process estimated to take three to six years.
• Within five years: COMAC aims to reach annual production of 150 aircraft.

Maintenance must be close enough to keep aircraft flying

Berthe and other industry leaders stress the need for local maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities, commonly called MRO facilities. These handle the inspections, repairs and more extensive work that keep aircraft ready for service. Training programmes for pilots and engineers are another requirement for supporting a new fleet.

Without those services, airlines could face higher costs and disruption while waiting for spare parts or technical assistance. An aircraft awaiting a component cannot operate its planned service, making the speed and reliability of support an immediate commercial concern.

COMAC has begun exploring international offices, including possible locations in Hong Kong and Singapore, as part of its global expansion. Such offices could support its relationships with overseas customers as it develops a wider service network.

The company's smaller ARJ21 regional jet has found customers in Indonesia and Equatorial Guinea. That experience may provide a model for building support after an aircraft is sold in a new market, including the African market.

Industry consultant Brendan Sobie cautions that adding another aircraft type can complicate maintenance and operations, especially where the necessary infrastructure is absent. For an airline, fleet diversification brings more choice, but it also requires planning for the extra technical and operating demands.

Western components connect the jet to global trade

The C919 reflects China's ambition to reduce dependence on Western technology and establish itself as a global manufacturing powerhouse. Its reliance on Western components, particularly engines and avionics, also leaves the programme exposed to international supply pressures.

U.S. export controls or trade disputes could interrupt access to critical parts or delay certification processes. An airline considering the aircraft therefore has to assess the reliability of the wider supply network as well as the manufacturer's production plans.

Boeing and Airbus face their own manufacturing and supply difficulties, creating an opening for COMAC to present itself as an alternative. Africa and Southeast Asia are markets where China's strong commercial ties could help the manufacturer develop relationships with prospective customers.

Commercial ties can support discussions, while airlines still need an aircraft that fits their services, secures the necessary approvals and can be maintained reliably. The C919's international prospects bring those technical, commercial and political considerations together.

Production growth and African preparations

COMAC is targeting 30 C919 deliveries in 2025 and annual production of 150 aircraft within five years. The later ambition is five times the 2025 delivery target, showing the scale of the increase the manufacturer seeks as it expands its business.

The company is also engaging African airlines and regulators over certification, support and training. Those discussions address the same practical issues that determine whether expressions of interest can become aircraft operating scheduled services.

The C919's entry into Africa is not imminent. Establishing maintenance capacity, training crews and engineers, obtaining approvals and securing dependable parts supplies will require time and investment.

African airlines could eventually gain more choice, stronger competition among manufacturers and potentially lower costs. Turning that possibility into dependable connections for passengers will depend on meeting international safety standards and building the infrastructure needed to support the aircraft throughout its working life.

Key Points

• The C919 carries 158 to 192 passengers and has a range of 4,100 to 5,500 kilometres, depending on the variant.
• Kenya Airways, Nigeria and the Republic of the Congo have expressed interest in the aircraft.
• The jet has Chinese certification but lacks EASA and FAA approval. EASA estimates a process lasting three to six years.
• Local maintenance facilities, spare parts, technical support and trained personnel are essential to African operations.
• Western engines and avionics expose COMAC to potential disruption from export controls and trade disputes.
• COMAC targets 30 deliveries in 2025 and annual production of 150 aircraft within five years.
• Greater fleet choice and potentially lower costs depend on regulatory approval, investment and reliable operating support.