Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says Nigeria has regained international trust in its aviation industry after years of low credibility. He explained that when he assumed office, global financiers and aircraft lessors viewed Nigeria as a risky environment. This negative perception made it nearly impossible for local airlines to access top-quality aircraft, especially through dry lease agreements. Lessors were hesitant to release their aircraft to Nigerian operators, fearing poor regulatory compliance and weak legal enforcement.
Keyamo said one of the main turning points came from revisiting the Cape Town Convention—an international agreement that outlines rules for aircraft leasing and repossession. After identifying gaps in Nigeria’s adherence to the convention, his team worked closely with the Aviation Working Group and international financiers. Together, they pinpointed the exact reasons for the country’s low score in leasing compliance, which had stood at just 49%.
To change that, the ministry implemented a new practice direction aligned with global standards. This immediately improved Nigeria’s compliance score to 70.5%. They also restructured the Irrevocable Deregistration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA) system, which raised the score again to 75.5%. Beyond policy adjustments, Nigeria began enforcing these rules. In two to three cases involving aircraft repossession, the new standards were applied successfully, which earned the country praise from international stakeholders.
According to Keyamo, this shift means Nigerian operators now have much easier access to international financiers and aircraft lessors. He said although the current global aircraft supply chain is still tight, the improved reputation means that Nigeria is now in a better position to receive newer and more advanced planes as they become available.
He described this renewed access to global leasing markets as one of the administration’s biggest wins in the aviation sector so far. Keyamo also confirmed that the country has successfully renegotiated its flight routes to London, though he didn’t go into full details in this session.
On other issues, he stated he doesn’t control the matter of multiple taxation affecting local airlines, but insists the government remains committed to refurbishing the old terminal at Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
