Nigeria on Thursday became one of the few countries in the world to pioneer the issuance of Practice Directions by the Federal High Court which is vested with the constitutional jurisdiction on Aviation matters.
The signing of the Practice Direction was presided over by the Vice-President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima at the meeting of the Presidential Council of Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
One of the key points of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo’s 5-Point Agenda on assumption of office is the support for the growth and sustenance of local airline businesses whilst holding them to highest international standards.
According to a statement from the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Communications, Mr. Tunde Moshood, in pursuit of this agenda, the Minister was confronted with the lingering problem of the low rate of Nigeria’s compliance with the Cape Town Convention (CTC); a Convention that regulates the dry-leasing of aircraft by major aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and airbus and major leasors across the world who perceived Nigeria as a non-compliant country.
This led to the blacklisting of Nigeria by the Aviation Working Group (AWG). The AWG CTC compliance index shows Nigeria’s substantial non-compliance with the CTC which is largely as a result of legal impediments in the country’ judicial process which have adverse impact on the implementation and compliance with terms of the Convention.
The statement pointed out that certain judicial cases have shown that speedy reliefs sought by the creditors were not granted within the 10 days declaration made by Nigeria under the Convention.
“The Minister, with the key support of Mr. President, the Vice-President and the Attorney-General of the Federation, then reached out to key institutions and offices in the judicial sector to make this possible, which resulted in the signing of the Practice Direction today.
“The new Practice Directions issued by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court will eliminate judicial impediments in the implementation and compliance with the Cape Town Convention.
“This singular move has revolutionised airline business in Nigeria as it will boost investors’ confidence and open the floodgate to Nigeria air operators to have easy access to aircraft acquisition at much lower cost.
“And this will significantly enhance the growth of the aviation industry by creating more jobs and promoting the rapid economic development of the aviation industry. By so doing, the Nigeria aviation industry which has a huge global market can favourably compete and increase its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” the statement explained.
“It is important to stress that as a Party to the Convention on International Mobile Equipment (Convention) and the Protocol to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment on Matters Specific to Aircraft Equipment (the Protocol) which was adopted in Cape Town South Africa on the 16th of November 2001 and has been ratified and domesticated in the Civil Aviation Act 2006, as amended in the Civil Aviation Act 2022, Nigeria has the obligation to ensure that its domestic laws and its courts and administrative bodies give full effect to the CTC and that the timelines and remedies set in the CTC are not varied at the discretion of the courts.
“It is only by so doing that the primary objective of the CTC which is to facilitate the efficient financing and acquisition of aircraft objects by the recognition of the international interests created in the objects can be beneficial to airline operators in the country,” the statement explained further.
Keyamo seized the opportunity to express profound appreciation to all the stakeholders who have contributed immensely towards the actualisation of this landmark issuance of the new Federal High Court Practice Directions which will not only clear the image and reputation of Nigeria in the global community, but usher in a new era for the airline business in Nigeria to grow and be well positioned to compete favourably in the global aviation market.