Nigeria Hailed as Model for Aviation Treaty Implementation

Eshiorameh Sebastian

Nigeria has been hailed as a model for the implementation of a major international aviation treaty at a significant gathering of experts in Abuja. 

The Secretary-General of the Aviation Working Group (AWG), Jeffrey Wool, described Nigeria as a “long-term and sustained partner” in the implementation of the Cape Town Convention. 

Speaking at the Cape Town Convention African event in Abuja on Tuesday, Wool said the Convention is not merely a business law treaty but one of history’s most important commercial law framework. 

The forum was jointly organised by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Aviation Working Group (AWG), and the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), bringing together aviation regulators, financiers, legal experts, and policymakers from across the continent.

He highlighted Nigeria’s crucial part in its development and its ongoing status as an exemplar for other African countries.

He said: “This is not just a business law treaty, it is one of the most important commercial law frameworks in history. Nigeria has played a key role in its development and continues to be a model for other African nations.”

He also said the conference is an opportunity for Nigeria and its partners to collaborate with their national ideas to implement the Cape Town Convention effectively.

He said the main reason of this conference is to change aviation sector to move to greater heights to benefits Africans. He added that the conference is an opportunity for Nigeria and its partners to collaborate with their national ideas to implement the convention effectively. 

This international recognition was bolstered by a major announcement concerning Nigeria’s official global aviation rating under the Cape Town Convention, which has surged above 75 per cent. This marks a major leap in the country’s compliance with international aviation financing standards. 

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the development at the opening of the two-day Cape Town Convention Africa Event. 

Keyamo, represented by Dr. Anastasia Gbem, Director of Human Resources and Administration, said the new rating reflected Nigeria’s growing commitment to aligning its aviation systems with international best practices. 

He provided specific details on the progress, explaining, “Nigeria’s Cape Town Convention compliance score has risen from 70.5% to 75.5% following the signing and operationalization of the Irrevocable Deregistration and Export Request Authorization (IDERA) procedure and Practice Direction. 

“This milestone strengthens our position as a regional leader in aviation law reform and signals to global investors that Nigeria is open for business on globally accepted terms.” 

The minister noted that the Cape Town Convention, ratified by 28 African countries, had transformed global aircraft financing by reducing credit risks and improving access to capital.

He urged African nations to harmonize their implementation of the Convention, emphasizing that the full benefits would only be realized through collective action and legal coherence across the continent. “The Cape Town Convention is not just a legal framework; it is a tool for sustainable aviation growth. We must ensure it translates into lower financing costs, easier access to modern aircraft, improved investor confidence, and enhanced operational efficiency”, Keyamo noted. 

He commended the AWG and AFCAC for their continued partnership and called on stakeholders to deepen collaboration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.

Providing further technical insight, the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Chris Ona Najomo, represented by Donald Tonye Spiff, Director of Operations, Licensing and Training, highlighted that the new compliance milestone followed years of regulatory reforms and judicial strengthening. 

He explained that the Cape Town Convention Practice Directions, signed by Keyamo in September 2024, had provided a clearer framework for adjudicating aircraft financing cases in Nigerian courts. 

“The Practice Direction serves as a tool of application and guidance for the adjudication of aircraft financing-related matters by the Federal High Court,” Spiff explained. 

He added: “It has significantly increased Nigeria’s compliance rating from 49.0% to 75.5%.” He also noted that the event’s moot court sessions would expose legal practitioners to complex case scenarios under the Convention, helping cultivate a new generation of aviation law experts.

The legislative branch of government also voiced its strong support for these developments. Representing the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Augustine Akobundu reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to fostering a regulatory environment that aligns with international aviation practices. 

“Effective domestication and implementation of the Cape Town Convention present an opportunity to unlock the continent’s full aviation potential,” Akobundu said. 

“The legislature will continue to partner with the executive and stakeholders to advance reforms that promote safety, efficiency, and investor confidence.” 

Similarly, Hon. Shina Oyedeji, representing the House Committee on Aviation, said the National Assembly remained committed to repositioning Nigeria’s aviation industry to meet global standards and urged financiers and operators to work closely in leveraging the Convention for sustainable growth.