Regulator Lauds Azman Air For Keeping To Equipment Leasing Rules

The Equipment Leasing Registration Authority (ELRA) has commended Azman Air for its commitment to the compliance with equipment leasing act.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by Adebola Brookslyn, head of Media and Corporate Communication of ELRA.

Brookslyn quoted the registrar/CEO of ELRA, Donald Wokoma, to have called on all airline operators in Nigeria to leverage the regulatory and commercial benefits of the Equipment Leasing Act (ELA) 2015.

Wokoma said this call followed a courtesy and fact-finding visit by the Chief Financial Officer of AZMAN Air Services Limited, Dr Muhammad Abdulmunaf to ELRA, after the Authority issued an advisory on the mandatory registration of leased movable assets.

“Compliance with the Act offers operators legal certainty, stronger asset protection, and far greater confidence from financiers and international lessors,” Wokoma said.

The Registrar also provided a comprehensive overview of key provisions of the Act, particularly those mandating the registration of all leased movable assets, including aircraft, engines, ground support equipment, IT infrastructure, and operational tools within Nigeria’s aviation sector.

He emphasised the importance of full compliance, noting that registration under the ELA 2015 provided airlines with critical advantages.

“The law is designed to protect both lessors and lessees. By registering leased aviation assets, operators gain stronger legal certainty, improved financial standing, and better protection during disputes or insolvency situations,” he said.

He also stated key benefits of the registration to include enhanced legal certainty and ownership protection for leased aircraft and aviation assets and improved access to financing and increased investor confidence.

Others, he said are strengthened rights during dispute resolution, repossession, or insolvency, a clear framework for cross-border leasing, vital for airlines reliant on imported aircraft, and faster, cost-effective dispute management through the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

Additionally, he said it would also enhance greater regulatory transparency and operational security across the aviation leasing value chain.

In his response, the AZMAN Air Chief Financial Officer, Abdulmunaf, described the ELA 2015 as “a forward-looking regulatory framework that enhances operational protection, strengthens corporate governance, and supports aviation sector stability.”

Abdulmunaf assured ELRA that the airline was ready to fully comply and would immediately establish an internal compliance team to work closely with the Authority, ensuring seamless alignment with regulatory requirements.