IDERA Will Restore Global Lessor Confidence in Nigeria, Says NCAA DG
The Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo, has said the implementation of the Irrevocable Deregistration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA) framework is expected to restore the confidence of global aircraft lessors in Nigeria, strengthen the country’s aviation financing environment and support broader economic growth.
Najomo stated that IDERA is far more than a legal or academic concept, describing it as a vital commercial instrument that sits at the intersection of operational regulation and proprietary security, with far-reaching implications for the aviation industry and the nation’s economy.
The DGCA, who was represented by the Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Barr. (Mrs) Mary Tufano-Eche, spoke on Thursday during the Aviation Law Committee’s bi-monthly session organised by the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL) in Lagos.
The session, themed “Aircraft Registration and Registrable Interests in Nigeria: All You Need to Know,” focused on the legal and regulatory framework governing aircraft registration and registrable interests in Nigeria.
According to Najomo, a robust legal framework that protects the rights of aircraft owners, financiers and lessors is indispensable if Nigeria is to attract greater investment into its aviation sector.
He explained that IDERA represents a critical commercial mechanism rather than a mere legal exercise, stressing that it directly influences investor confidence and national economic development.
The DGCA noted that for Nigeria to maximise the benefits of the framework, the country’s aircraft registry must interface seamlessly with the international registration regime to guarantee the enforceability of registrable interests declared by aircraft owners, financiers and lessors.
He maintained that the absolute enforceability of such interests would reassure international stakeholders that their investments are adequately protected under Nigerian law, thereby encouraging more leasing transactions and improving airlines’ access to modern aircraft.
The bi-monthly session was convened by the NBA-SBL Aviation Law Committee to deepen stakeholders’ understanding of the provisions of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023, as amended in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.
Discussions centred on issues relating to aircraft ownership, financing, leasing arrangements and the perfection of security interests in aircraft operating within Nigeria.
In her opening remarks, the NCAA’s Lagos Regional Manager, Barr. (Mrs) Olubukola Teriba, underscored the Authority’s statutory responsibility for aircraft registration and regulatory oversight.
She explained that aircraft registration establishes the legal identity and status of an aircraft, making it a fundamental element of aviation regulation.
Teriba said the NCAA maintains the National Aircraft Registry (NAR), which contains details of all aircraft registered in Nigeria and is responsible for issuing Certificates of Registration (CoR).
She added that the Authority also operates the Legal Interests in Aircraft Registry, where proprietary rights, mortgages and other security interests relating to aircraft are officially recorded.
According to her, these registries provide legal certainty for aircraft owners, financiers and other stakeholders while supporting transparency and compliance within the aviation industry.
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the NBA-SBL Aviation Law Committee, Barr. Yohana Gulla, said the session was designed to provide practical guidance on the legal requirements, procedures, challenges and emerging developments associated with aircraft registration and the perfection of registrable interests under Nigerian law and relevant international legal instruments.
He noted that enhancing stakeholders’ understanding of these issues would contribute to a stronger legal and commercial environment for aviation financing in Nigeria.
Gulla also commended the DGCA and the NCAA for supporting the programme, describing the Authority’s commitment to legal, regulatory and industry capacity-building as instrumental to strengthening the Nigerian aviation sector.
Nigeria took a significant step towards improving aircraft leasing and financing when the IDERA Advisory Circular was signed in Abuja on 16 October 2024 by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Capt. Najomo on behalf of the NCAA.
The advisory was introduced to facilitate Nigerian airlines’ access to dry-leased aircraft by providing greater legal certainty for international lessors and helping to reverse the country’s previous blacklisting by global aircraft leasing companies.
Industry stakeholders believe the implementation of the IDERA framework will enhance Nigeria’s reputation in the international aviation financing market, lower leasing risks and improve domestic airlines’ ability to acquire aircraft on more favourable terms.
