To commemorate the 2021 International Disability Day, the Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation (ICCF), a Non-Profit Organisation, which has been at the forefront in advocating for the rights of persons, especially children, living with disabilities, held a special culinary ability parade and award for young adults with intellectual disabilities. OYEBOLA OWOLABI reports that the life-changing experience brought out the best in the participants and their parents.

Taiwo Sanni, 27, has Down syndrome and lacks speech; Damien Anaedum, 22, suffers from Attention Deficiency Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); Victor Adeyele, 20, Gbemisola Ojumu, 20, and Okikiola Adesola, 19, battle Cerebral Palsy (CP). Gbemisola and Okikiola have been in wheelchairs all their lives. These people represent a part of the population we really don’t like to see or interact with because they are different. They have the appearance of children, and actually, behave as one, and you are tempted to describe them as so until you hear their real ages. It is not their making, they just happen to be different from others.

Some are physical while others are intellectual; they, throughout their lifetime, are dependent on others. This is the story of persons living with disabilities.

These people, however, proved to the world that they are not disabled, but able in a different way, when they took centre stage to showcase their cooking abilities at the culinary ability parade and award for young adults with intellectual disabilities, organised by the Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation, to commemorate the 2021 International Disability Day. Iyaniwura is run by Mrs. Mathilda Otitoloju.

The contest itself started in August with various training, especially for the parents, who had to take their children to the market to buy condiments and guide them through the whole cooking process, all the while doing a video recording which was sent to Iyaniwura foundation. This happened every weekend, until the culmination on December 12.

Of the 26 participants in the cooking parade, Taiwo came first and went home with N70,000. The second and third place winners went home with N50,000 and N30,000 each. Their efforts excited their parents, and they confessed to experiencing joy on another level. They appreciated Iyaniwura for encouraging them and helping their children live to their full potentials.

Mrs. Idiat Sanni, who is Taiwo’s mum, said: “I knew about this programme through the Iyaniwura Foundation. Iyaniwura is a mother who has a passion for all these children. When I had Taiwo and her twin, I was ignorant about Down Syndrome but I realised Taiwo didn’t achieve her milestones, unlike her brother. Taiwo’s neck didn’t stand firm but I believed all would be well. And because I’d never seen the resemblance of any down syndrome, I kept her at home until a friend of mine saw a special school at the National Orthopedic Hospital and I enrolled her there.

“When I had her I wasn’t told she was a special child. Society didn’t accept her and this delayed her education. Maybe she would have had speech if I had allowed her to mix with other children, but I am still grateful to God for how everything has turned out so far. I am happy that my source of sadness has today made me happy.

“I was afraid when Iyaniwura told me to allow her to start cooking but here she is today as winner of the cooking parade. I am elated. I would also urge mothers like me to embrace their children because nothing is impossible. These children can do wonders only if we allow them by teaching and nurturing them in love.”

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Victor’s mum, Mrs. Oluwakemi Otubanjo, could not also hide her excitement about the programme and her son’s special ability. She was full of praises and prayers for Iyaniwura. She said: “I came here to support my son for the final cooking contest organised by Iyaniwura Foundation. My 20-year-old son has Cerebral Palsy (CP) but I have never allowed him to have any dull moments. He cooks, does his chores, and prepares his meal. But today is a big one for him and me, and I am elated that he is able to showcase his abilities.

“A big gratitude to Iyaniwura Foundation and her household, may the Lord continue to bless her because she has shown us the light.

“I was neglected and rejected with my son when I had him, even his father abandoned us but, today, I am so happy for his life. He can do what others are doing, albeit in his own special way.

Muyiwa Ojumu, who is Gbemisola’s father, praised Iyaniwura for finding his daughter worthy to be celebrated. “People have the belief that those with disabilities can’t do anything. But this programme has proven them wrong. Gbemisola has been in the wheelchair since we had her; she has never walked but look at what this cooking parade has done for her.”

For Mrs. Funmilola Adesola, who is Okikiola’s mother, nothing excites her more than the fact that the children got more exposure, and also the parents gained more knowledge on how to further help the children.

She said: “This is a very good programme and I am grateful to Iyaniwura for further enlightening us on how to help the children.

Okikiola was not born like this, the incident which confined her to the wheelchair happened when she was about one year old, and I’ve been caring for and loving her since then. My Okiki is hardworking; she cooks and even operates the gas cooker.

“I would advise other parents like me not to keep such children indoors but allow them to move with their peers. These children are now exposed and they are always excited when they hear of events like this.”

Damien’s mum, Mrs. Franca Anaedum, was elated at him showcasing his ability. ‘It shows that everything I have been teaching him is not wasted,’ she said.

“I feel great seeing him showcase what I’ve been teaching him. I’m proud of what God has given me. Damien is a twin and anytime I’m teaching his twin brother, I always carry him along. I’m happy he did well today. When I first had him it was like the end of the world, but I thank God today. I also thank my friend, Dr. Tunrayo, a psychiatrist, who keeps supporting, counselling, and encouraging me.

“My advice to parents out there is that they should be proud of their children always. They should be supportive. I don’t see any disability in Damien; I brought him up together with his siblings so he can be independent and useful to himself, his community, and country at large.”

Aside from the main cooking parade, these differently-abled young adults expressed themselves in singing, dancing, and parade. Even their parents were not left out of the joy. The Deaf can Dance Crew serenaded the audience with their spectacular dance performance, while visually-impaired children from the Women and Children with Disability Initiative encouraged the people with their song saying ‘nothing is too hard for God if only we believe’.

Participants in the cooking parade also got a certificate of participation and plague for their efforts.

The Founder of the Women and Children with Disability Initiative, Mrs. Funmi Gbadamosi, hailed the initiative, describing it as fantastic. “This event is so fantastic. Iyaniwura did a marvelous job of letting the world know that being disabled does not prevent you from being fulfilled and doing things like other people.

“I am married to a blind person and he comes from a dysfunctional home which affected his life. So we set up the initiative so that challenged children who come from dysfunctional homes can have access to education and quality life. We also want them to grow up in a lovely and home-like environment.

“I would advise people to stop stigmatisation at all costs. It does not help these children or anyone at that. We also urge more corporate organisations to come on board and sponsor initiatives such as this so we can give these children a good life,” she added.

Mrs. Otitoloju explained that the culinary parade was organised to celebrate International Disability Day, which is celebrated every December 3, to showcase the participants to the world and reiterate the need for their acceptance and inclusion in society.

She said: “This programme is to give people with disabilities the opportunity to express the greatness and potentials that people have not seen in them. You can see the excitement in them, they are happy, their food tastes good. “This started in August when we started showing the parents how to teach their children to cook. I hear lots of negativity from them and people – my child cannot do this and that – but I tell them these children need to live their lives like any other adult.

“This cooking parade was also organised so we can raise awareness on the peculiar situation of these challenged persons. Yes, they are different, but that does not make them less human, they are only special and able in their own unique way.

“This is not the end; it will be an annual event because it’s in commemoration of the International Disability Day. This particular edition focuses on the intellectually disabled because they are the most ignored in the community and people describe them using the ‘R-word but at Iyaniwura, we see more in them. We see their values and potentials and encourage them to shine. There is dignity in them, and we are giving them that opportunity to showcase their potential for the world to know that they are like every other person because, at Iyaniwura, we believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion. We would have people with other forms of disability next year.

“When it comes to their eating habits and styles, intellectually-challenged persons are seen as children because people assume everything about them. But these young adults need to live their lives devoid of stigmatisation.

“This training started in August where we trained the parents on how to teach their challenged children how to cook. They had to use various forms of prompting, picturing, and, every weekend, they send us the video of how the food preparation went. They had to record all the processes, from the shopping to the cooking and plating and eating, and send us videos every weekend. Today is the culmination of all that.

“The participants cooked the portion they can eat because we don’t want to discourage them or allow them to cook excess. We want the parents to encourage them that they have a lot of potentials; they have opportunities they still need to develop. At Iyaniwura Foundation, we see potentials in them and we bring the potentials to the parents to see and nurture so they can live like any other adult in the community.

“We are so happy many of the parents are working with us and seeing the development and potentials in their children.”

Mrs. Otitoloju also urged more corporate organisations to support the cause so that more challenged persons can get the opportunity to live to their full potential.

“I’m ready to partner with any corporate organisation that is willing to support this initiative because this culinary parade will be an annual event.”

The Lagos State government is also not slacking in ensuring the rights of persons living with disabilities are protected. General Manager of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs, Dare Dairo, himself on a wheelchair, who was at the culinary parade, reiterated that the state was working assiduously to ensure inclusion for them.

He said: “The Lagos State government is doing a lot to ensure social inclusion for persons with disabilities. We have just unveiled the first-ever Disability Sports Festival for people with disability in Nigeria. It’s starting in Lagos; it’s part of the campaign promise of Mr. Governor in sport requirements for people with disability. The government has also been empowering persons with disabilities, in terms of training and resources for them to be productive and economically viable so they can also contribute to the society.”

Dairo, who appreciated Iyaniwura for the efforts, added: “It’s another beautiful initiative from Iyaniwura Child Care Foundation. It’s another creative initiative to amplify the voice of social inclusion for people with disability, particularly people with intellectual disabilities. Any moment with Iyaniwura is a learning experience.

“The perception and stereotype from the society are to exile people with intellectual disability, and that they should be totally dependent, but evidence such as this culinary parade point to the fact that people with intellectual disability, with minimal supervision and assistance, can live an independent, fulfilling and productive life. We look forward to more from Iyaniwura, and we believe that what Lagos State has in plan for people living with disability, and collaborations with NGOs like Iyaniwura, will make the government’s work easier.

“Food is essential to life, food is part of the culture. The ability to prepare it gives a lot of freedom because it means you can eat what you want when you so desire.

“I want to use this opportunity to appreciate the corporate organisation that has chosen to sponsor this initiative. Bet9ja, more than a bet they say. This is a manifestation of that claim. I believe more cooperate organisations will take a cue from this.”

The event was sponsored by Bet9ja, which used its slogan ‘more than a bet’, to amplify its belief in supporting social causes and initiatives beyond gaming.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Federal Government recently commenced the pilot implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) in Kaduna and Niger States. JULIANA AGBO writes.  

Despite the huge potential in Nigeria’s livestock subsector, the industry is experiencing slow growth due to low productivity of the indigenous breeds of animals, insufficient and poor quality feed, dwindling and degradation of natural grazing lands with grazing reserves severely encroached.

Recent climate change and climate variability had severely affected traditional grazing lands that were never re-seeded with good quality forage materials leading to increased transhumant movement of animals.

However, low capacity of building of the major stakeholders such as the pastoralists who are 90 percent of suppliers of meat and milk products in the country, inadequate extension agents with low technical capabilities, lack of infrastructures to support production and long neglect of the industry are contributing factors to the industry’s stunted growth.

To address these challenges, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Federal Government recently commenced the pilot implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) in Kaduna and Niger States.

This is in response to the request of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide technical assistance for the implementation of the NLTP in some selected states.

The NLTP was conceptualised and initiated by the National Economic Council (NEC) in 2019, as an intervention programme aimed at addressing the incessant herders and farmers’ conflict across the country.

The project which is funded by the FAO to the tune of $491,000 with the allocation of $245,500 for each of the two states selected for the intervention of livestock development model, has 100 beneficiaries including men and women who were selected through the conduct of a baseline survey.

FAO, through a Technical Cooperation Project (TCP), is piloting the NLTP and its attendant benefits to households. The outcome of the project targets to increase household incomes through improved livestock productivity, strategic marketing and sustainable value chains.

An integral part of the project is the establishment of two modern ranches one in each of the two states to demonstrate best practices in livestock management with infrastructures such as, fencing, solar powered boreholes, drip irrigation, accommodation for extension workers, training shed, hay barn, crush and pasture development.

 The Nation who was at the Sheyi Grazing Reserve in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State during a tour visit to the project site, observed that perimetre  chain-link fencing with gate, solar powered borehole with water outlets for animals and the host community, drip irrigation for grass and legumes for the animals at the ranch have been provided by the FAO funded project sitting on a three hectares of land.

National Consultant of the Project, Jazuli Bichi during an interview noted that the project will address the issues confronting the livestock sector, improve livelihood income and increase market potentials.

These issues, he said, emanated from the neglect of the sector over the past.

He said: “The livestock sector is a promising industry with a lot of potential and  also with a lot of problems.

“The whole idea of the project is to demonstrate in a pilot form in the two states, this is to make others key in or do it in the right way so that the sector’s full potential can be of benefit.”

Bichi said the objective of the project is to ensure food and nutrition security of livelihood.

“The project is targeted to improve food and nutrition which three key outputs were identified to include: establishment of the ranches, capacity building of the beneficiaries, identifying stakeholders and profiling them with the beneficiaries of the program,” Bichi said.

 Capacity building of beneficiaries

The project’s national consultant who explained that baseline studies were conducted and a lot of skill gaps were discovered before the training, said series of capacity building particularly in the production of feeds and utilisation of agro crop byproducts have been conducted.

He said the capacity building training for skills and modern production technologies to fast-track the productivity was conducted in key thematic areas such as feed, fodder development, establishment, management, conservation and value addition with agribusiness development for both farmers, pastoralists, commercial pasture producers, commercial farms and extension staff.

He said farmers and butchers associations are all part of the stakeholders that were trained.

According to him, the training also bothers on “milk production, milk hygiene, dairy disease of economic importance, herd health management, milk producer cooperative association for pastoralists, commercial milk process to enhance an interface for milk off-take by processors, and so many more.

“We have also trained the women in all aspects of milk production , processing, marketing to value addition.

“We had to do capacity building on the products they are producing, because if they produce milk, ordinarily a commercial producer of yogurt won’t buy because of the poor production environment and animals’ environment which lead to a lot of contamination of the milk.

“The commercial milk producers and processors are part of our stakeholders, they have to certify by themselves that these guys can now produce quality milk so they can offtake where there is excess, ” Bichi added.

 Project Sustainability

For sustainability of the project, Bichi noted that the FAO also conducted training on community based animal health workers and pastoralists animal health management, safety measures and artificial insemination.

The trainees who live in the communities where these projects are piloted are expected to provide basic services for the pastoralists and report cases of severe threat to animals, he said.

He said the project saw the need to include farmers for its sustainability so they can see a lot of opportunities they are not aware of, so that they can produce feed for the pastoralists which will boost their incomes.

“By the time they get a lot of feed, this will reduce a lot of problems for the animals and for the herders and provide opportunities for farmers.

“To ensure sustainability, we are training an intensive system where community based youths will be with them.

“The whole idea is that, after the exit of FAO from the project site this December, the State will take off from there, upscale what they have seen and benefited from.

“We have done pasture development and legumes, this is also for the beneficiaries to grow the seeds from their subsequent homes.”

On ownership, he said the beneficiaries of the grazing reserve are the owners of the project that has been established, while the state government will play a supervisory role.

Furthermore, Bichi said there will be provision of accommodations for the extension staff.

He said: “We are in the process of building an accomodations for the extension staff, there is a process of also building a training shed where extension staff will also do training for beneficiaries and investors.”

The Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development, Dr. Jonathan Wasa, assured that the project would be sustained to include more beneficiaries.

Wasa noted that the Ministry has done the first weeding of the pasture and the second weeding is in process.

He said about 100 beneficiaries have been trained in the hay making, fodder development, milk production and processing and training of farmers and pastoralists.

Project beneficiaries

One of the beneficiaries, Gambo Isah, who was seen milking one of his cows during a visit to the Fulani settlement located around the ranch, said he has seen improvement in animal feed since the establishment of the model ranch as they no longer go far for grazing.

Isah said milk production has also improved since he was trained on modern way of milk production.

“We used to have a liter of milk but now we can milk up to three liters per animal,” Isah said.

Salamatu John, a resident of the host community,  who said she is gainfully employed in the project, said the establishment of the ranch has come to salvage a lot of issues in the community.

Larai Yusuf, another beneficiary of the project, who was trained on feed production,said she now produces grass and sells to the herders which is very lucrative.

She said: “The herders come to buy in large quantities, if they fill a 50kg bag, we sell for more than N2,000. We sell the seeds between N2,000 to N3,000.

“An enabling environment should be sustained for us to continue to thrive.”

Another beneficiary, Umar Abubakar,  who has 50 cattle, said with the establishment of the model ranch and the training, the pressure of going far for grazing has reduced.

“Grazing is difficult, but after the training, we been taught the modern way, we have to source their food, how to mix leaves to produce feeds for them, if they are able to sustain this, it will help us from traveling from afar which will prevent of problems, ” Abubabakar added.

The ECOWAS Court of Justice marked its 20 years of existence with remarkable rulings, verdicts and opinions to show. But, critical stakeholders believe flouting of the community court’s judgments by member-states will not give succours to those in need of justice, ASSISTANT EDITOR BOLA OLAJUWON reports.

The ECOWAS Court of Justice few days ago rolled out the drum to mark its 20 years of existence. The organ of the Economic Community of West African States – a regional integration community of 15 member states in Western Africa – was created pursuant to the provisions of Articles 6 and 15 of the Revised Treaty of the regional organisation.

The court was created after the adoption of the Protocol on the Community Court of Justice in 1991, about 16 years after the ECOWAS itself was formed.  The ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993 established the Court of Justice as an institution of the regional grouping.

The expansion of the court’s competences from just a mere community court to civil service tribunal, court of human rights and court of arbitration, gave the court an almost universal scope of intervention in many areas with significant increase in the number of cases handled in recent years. It is also seen as the last resort for those who saw national judicial templates as inept to give them justice.

 

Member-states shunning  ECOWAS Community Court’s rulings

 

For the people of West Africa with a population of 416,631,763 –  based on the latest United Nations estimates – obtaining justice in their individual country is like camel passing through the proverbial eye of the needle.

Still, with the setting up of the ECOWAS Court, the hope of some of those plaintiffs had been lost to inability of many member-states to abide by the court’s rulings.

For instance, the Court of Justice declared the arrest and continued detention of the immediate past former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), as unlawful, arbitrary and a violation of his right to liberty.

The court ordered that the former NSA be released from the custody of the Department of State Services, whose operatives re-arrested him shortly after he was released from Kuje Prison, Abuja on bail on December 29, 2015.

Dasuki, who was arrested for alleged economic crimes and other offences, was later granted bail by all three courts where he is currently facing charges relating to criminal diversion of funds meant for procurement of arms for fighting Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East.

But, in a ruling on the fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by Dasuki, the ECOWAS court said it was wrong for the Federal Government to continue to detain him over undisclosed offences after he had been granted bail by different courts, where he was being prosecuted.

The court, in a unanimous judgment of a three-man panel, read by Justice Chijioke Nwoke, also awarded N15 million damages against the Federal Government.

But, despite the Nigerian courts and ECOWAS Court rulings, he remained in the custody of the DSS since he was re-arrested at Kuje prison, before he was finally released after meeting his bail conditions.

Also in 2016, the ECOWAS Court ordered the release of leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem el- Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah. It described their detention as unlawful and arbitrary. But the government did not obey the order.

The Islamic cleric was arrested in December 2015, following a clash between his followers and the Nigeria Army in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Scores of people, mostly his followers were reportedly killed and buried in a mass grave in the Mando area of Kaduna metropolis.

On July 28, 2021, a Kaduna State High Court freed El-Zakzaky and his wife.

Just like Dasuki’s and El-Zakzaky’s cases, the Nigerian government refused to enforce ECOWAS’ judgments for the provision of free and basic education for Nigerian children as enshrined under chapter two of the Nigerian Constitution, in the case between Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) v. Federal Republic of Nigeria & Anor.

The community court on Friday, October 22, 2021, also ordered the Government of Cote d’Ivoire to pay 1,250,000,000 CFA Francs as compensation to Mr. Oumar Diawara, a Congolese resident of Abidjan (the applicant), for the violation of his right to a fair hearing and right to property. A symbolic one Franc was also awarded to him for the moral prejudice he suffered from how the case against him at the domestic court was handled.

In the judgment, which was delivered by Hon. Justice Dupe Atoki, the judge rapporteur in the suit, the court also ordered the Court’s Registry to assess the litigation costs in favour of the applicant.

However, till today, nothing has been heard about the implementation of the court’s decision.

In another case, the ECOWAS Court ordered the Republic of Niger to pay 7,564,250 CFA francs as recoverable costs to the heirs of late General Ibrahim Mainassara Bare, who ruled the country between January 1996 and April 1999, when he was assassinated while boarding an aircraft.

Justice Dupe Atoki, the judge rapporteur who read the order, said the court, having delivered an earlier judgment, had jurisdiction to hear the matter concerning recoverable costs in relation to the court’s judgment No ECW/CCJ/JUD/23/15 delivered on October 23, 2015.

The application, ECW/CCJ/APP/25/13/COSTS, filed on February 4, 2020, by Mr. Chaibou Abdourahaman, lawyer to the 17 heirs of the late General Bare, asked the court to review its judgment No ECW/CCJ/APP/23/15 based on an alleged omission by the court to specify an amount as recoverable costs to be awarded for the proceeding.

Abdourahaman told the court that part of the judgment reads: “The Republic of Niger shall bear the costs”, without specifying an amount, which resulted in the presentation of their incurred expenses to the court, seeking its order in this regard.

Still, the Niger Republic has not implemented the court’s decision.

Following the cold attitude of the ECOWAS member-states, human rights lawyer Femi Falana called on President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders to obey court orders in the interest of political stability and justice.

He said the president should also comply with a court order compelling the Federal Government to release the details of stolen assets recovered so far.

“Buhari and ECOWAS leaders should comply with judgments and orders of municipal courts and regional tribunals in the interest of public accountability and political stability,” Falana said.

 

Lack of national authorities to implement rulings

 

Despite its achievements in the last six years, only six countries of the 15 member states met the pre-requisite for obeying the court’s rulings. All countries ought to have set up national authorities to implement its rulings.

The court’s president, Justice Edward Amoako Asante (Ghana), listed Guinea, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo and Ghana, as the six countries that had set up a competent authority to implement the court rulings as stipulated in the protocol. But still, Nigeria refused to implement most of the cases adjudicated upon by the court.

The other member-countries yet to set up such authority include: Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Niger, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

The poor rate of compliance with the court’s judgments, currently standing at about 50 per cent, is of grave concern to the court, Justice Asante said.

“We regret that only six member states have appointed the competent national authorities for the enforcement of judgments of the court in their respective domains.

“These are the Republic of Guinea, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo and Ghana. We will continue to appeal for the remaining members to do the needful,” he said.

But, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Dr. Sidie Tunis, called on presidents and leaders of West Africa states to ensure obedience to the community court’s ruling.

Tunis said the attitude of selective adherence to the ruling of the court was also diminishing its reputation.

 

Lawyers to African govts: obey courts’ decisions

 

Lawyers from across Africa have urged governments of countries in the continent to learn to give effect to decisions of continental and sub-regional courts and tribunals as a way of bolstering democracy and rule of law in the continent.

The lawyers, under the aegis of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) and other stakeholders deplored the growing practice where countries in the continent treat decisions of African international courts and tribunals with scant regard.

Among those who appealed to ECOWAS leaders are Vice President of the ECOWAS Court, Justice Gberi-Be Ouattara; Boniface Ogoti of the East African Court of Justice; Meredith Lwanga of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights; and Falana (SAN).

Others included Donald Deya of PALU, Moussa Coulibaly, President of the West African Bar Association (WABA); Archilleus Romward of the East Africa Law Society; Deborah Nyokabi Mburu of the Network of African Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI); Osai Ojigho of Amnesty International (AI); Simitie Lawvalry of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, and Anne Mary Okutoyi of the Kenya Nation Commission of Human Rights.

Justice Ouattara, who expressed discomfort with some recent policy decisions of the governments of ECOWAS states in relation to the court, said it was becoming difficult for the court to meet its obligations.

He noted that, aside that most member states were reluctant to implement the court’s decisions, they have decided to reduce the number of its judges and their tenure despite the growing workload of the court.

Justice Ouattara noted that before now, the court had seven judges, who were entitled to a renewable term of five years, but now, the number has been reduced to five, with their tenure limited to four years, which is no longer renewable.

He argued that the relevance of a court lies in the implementation of and respect for its decisions, noting that no matter the quality of a court’s decision, if not implemented, it becomes useless.

Ogoti of the East African Court said his court is experiencing similar challenges as those identified by the ECOWAS Court, particularly in areas of implementation of its decisions and its capacity to monitor compliance.

“Currently, there are no means of monitoring enforcement/implementation of the court’s decisions. Whether judgments are enforced or not, we still depend on litigants to report back to us,” he said.

Lwanga of the African Court noted that her court’s still suffer from low patronage owing, partly to the reluctance of some African states to make the necessary commitment to allow their citizens access the court as well as insufficient information about the court’s operations.

Falana said there was need for sustained advocacy and engagements on the part of all stakeholders to ensure that African states and leaders realise the need to obey and respect the decisions of the courts.

 

Commendations  and achievements

 

But, looking at the court in the last 20 years, Justice Asante described it as a pacesetter for other regional courts, particularly those in Africa. Asante asserted that although young, the court had through its jurisprudence set examples for other courts. He noted that the celebration “provides an opportunity to examine various dimensions of the young court, which has, through its enviable jurisprudence, become an exemplar among regional courts, particularly in Africa”.

According to Asante, the court also acts as an Arbitration tribunal with key role in the integration process of the community and as the guardian of the community law and protector of human rights.

“It is significant to note that the human rights mandate of the court has become the dominant aspect of its judicial functions. We are proud to note that due to its bold decisions on human rights complaints, the international community has recognised the evolving ECOWAS human rights regime.

“The unique feature of this human rights regime is that there is no requirement for the exhaustion of local remedies. Community citizens, therefore, have the option of lodging complaints for human rights violations before their national courts or the ECOWAS Court of Justice.

“With all humility, the ECOWAS Court of Justice is a source of pride for our community,” he said.

He thanked all past and serving judges of the court, who had contributed to its impressive judicial record.

ECOWAS Commission President Mr. Jean-Claude Brou, while looking at the court’s journey so far, asserted that the ECOWAS had in 2005 amended its protocol to strengthen the community court and made strong provisions for the execution of its judgments, to give citizens access to justice.

“The Court of Justice thus evolved into a major instrument of regional integration. This community’s organ is now better known to the citizens of the region.

“The expansion of its competences from Community Court to Civil Service Tribunal, Court of Human Rights and Court of Arbitration, gives it an almost universal scope of intervention in many areas, as shown by the significant increase in the number of cases handled in recent years,” he said.

The president noted that the protection of human rights remained particularly fundamental, along with the promotion of the rule of law among litigants, especially women and youth.

In spite of challenges confronting it, the court had registered 561 initiating applications and delivered 130 rulings and 301 judgments. It also registered 38 applications for revision of judgments from which it delivered 24 decisions. It has also given five advisory opinions. The court has held a total of 1,226 court sessions. It currently has 166 cases pending before it.

 

Going forward

 

Many of the cases before the court, bordering on human rights abuses in ECOWAS member-states, each carry the burden of exigency, which only five justices cannot meet in record time.

The court president insists the reduction of judges from seven as provided in the initial protocol to five in 2018 is of grave concern and has adverse effects. He lamented that despite the challenges, the cases yet to be heard continue to grow “astronomically”.

“In the light of the increasing caseload, it is obvious that a court composed of only five members cannot cope. It is also difficult to form more than one chamber in the court, since a chamber requires a minimum of three judges,” he said.

Asante also proposed a review of the tenure of justices from the four years non-renewable to the initial five years renewable for another term of five years.  Falana, SAN, while corroborating Asante’s position, also lamented that the number of judges is too small, calling for it to be increased to 15.

The human rights lawyer called on the court to always make itself available to community’s citizens, especially in states that had been taken over by the military through coups.

He stressed that the ECOWAS, while suspending such countries, should give room for its citizens to seek redress on human rights violations, adding that ECOWAS should also seek to prevent coups by calling erring presidents to order.

“I suggest that the court must allow community citizens in countries where there is coup to assess the court. The suspension of those two countries from the ECOWAS should not prevent victims of human rights abuse from accessing the court,” he stressed.

Brou said the ECOWAS Court should help to promote good governance, rule of law and fundamental freedoms in West Africa.

He said it was important for the court to ensure access to fair, transparent and credible social justice in the region. These, he said, were shared universal values that would contribute to the development of the region and promote the culture of peace, consistent with the 2063 agenda of the African Union.

As part of its function, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) urged the ECOWAS Court of Justice to save 5.5 million possible displaced persons in West Africa.

Regional Director of UNHCR West & Central Africa, Ms. Millicent Mutuli, said the court, through its advocacy, held the key to curbing the rising spate of displacement and statelessness in the sub-region and protecting victims’ rights.  Mutuli said the court also had a great responsibility in ensuring the rights of displaced persons were protected.

However, Falana advocated the setting up of an appellate division of the ECOWAS Court as a solution for flagrant disregard to court rulings by member states. But, a Justice of the court, Dupe Atoki, countered his position, saying that an appeal court is no solution to the impunity by member states and lack of enforcement of court rulings.

In an interview with The Nation, Professor Damilola S. Olawuyi, SAN and Global Vice Chair, International Law Association and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), said as the judicial organ of ECOWAS, the ECOWAS Court was established to ensure the observance of law and justice in economic integration efforts across the West African community.

He said while the court has recorded some noteworthy achievements in advancing this goal, several practical challenges continue to limit its relevance and effectiveness.

“Chief amongst these is the flagrant disregard for the court’s decisions by several member states. The court has one of the lowest compliance rates of all regional or sub-regional courts in the world. Strengthening the court will therefore require greater commitment by all member states to comply with and implement the binding decisions of the court in accordance with norms of responsibility in international law.

“Another key challenge is the inadequate financial and technical resources that the court faces, which continues to slow down its modernisation and digitalisation when compared to other regional courts across the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has indeed accentuated the urgency of having innovative and technology-driven courts. While the ECOWAS Court promptly issued a Practice Direction on Electronic Case Management to enable the timely and efficient resolution of disputes during the pandemic, its implementation has not been seamless.  Old developmental challenges such as lack of suitable accommodation space, inadequate remote technology and e-justice tools, and skills deficit, especially low number of ICT-competent staff and language translators, all mean that the ECOWAS court remains several years behind its peers.

“Without addressing these old developmental challenges, building a stronger and more relevant ECOWAS Court would be very difficult. One step would be for ECOWAS to immediately appoint a Working Group of eminent jurists and experts across the region, tasked with reviewing the progress of the court, and developing a strategic plan to strengthen the court’s relevance, modernisation, and future role in regional economic governance, including its legal structures and resource needs.

Therefore, the court, after remarkable achievements so far, needs more capacity and supports from member-states to deliver on its mandates and give succours to those in need of justice. The stakeholders told The Nation that ECOWAS must contemplate imposing sanctions, including suspension of member countries that flout rulings of the community court.

Flouting the community court’s ruling, they said, is against the dictates of the ‘Community Texts’’ and which also equates to disruption of democratic and justice processes.

Prohibitive maintenance cost, safety perception and the need to reduce carbon emissions on the environment, emerging market dynamics, regulatory push and other considerations are pushing indigenous carriers to do away with geriatric aeroplanes littering the airspace. In what may seem like a race against time, Nigerian carriers are embracing the new trends in terms of acquiring different types of new planes which now dominate the skyline, KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR reports.

A new culture is evolving in the Nigerian aviation sector as operators are going through a mutation of phasing out geriatric aeroplanes which dominated their fleet a few years ago.

Under the new arrangement, a myriad of factors – strategy, cost considerations, market demand, and industry perception-is increasingly paving the way for new aeroplanes as operators embrace the global fad of gathering new aircraft in their fleet.

But, the new move is not by accident as the operators are driven by a myriad of factors. They include economics, the environment, emerging technology, legislation and regulatory considerations.

The journey to get new aeroplanes in their fleet, according to experts, may not have come by happenstance, but a carefully thought-out strategy programmed to alter the narrative about the age of aircraft in the fleet of indigenous carriers.

In the last decade and more, a series of events, including air crashes, lax regulatory regimes, allegations of  “cutting corners” by operators and other infractions earned the Nigerian aviation sector the toga of where “flying coffins” littered the airspace.

A few unsavoury developments in the last decade have forced the government to unveil radical policies and reforms that changed the face of civil aviation in the country.

Why are Nigeria carriers using older aeroplanes?  This question has provoked a robust debate in the sector in the last decade, with industry players unable to reach unanimity on the vexed issue.

Experts say lack of access to low-interest capital and absence of appropriate instruments to facilitate the leasing of aircraft acquisition have been cited as part of the hurdles operators have been struggling with before the  Cape Town Convention:  an instrument that makes it easy for airlines to acquire an aircraft became effective over a decade ago.

Significantly, the Cape Town Convention and Protocol, according to a former Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren is intended to reduce risks for creditors, and consequently, the borrowing costs to debtors in getting new aeroplanes.

According to him, the instrument is intended to promote the granting of credit for the acquisition of more modern and thus more fuel-efficient aircraft.

But then, experts say there is a quick disconnect between aviation safety and the age of an aircraft.

Sadly, some of Nigeria’s commercial airlines have the oldest aircraft fleet in Africa.

According to data gleaned from Planespotters.com; a website that offers updates on the registration, status and age of aircraft; many aeroplanes hovering in the Nigerian airspace have an average age of 19 years and more.

In sharp contrast to the age of airline fleets in Nigeria, major African airlines, including Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Africa’s oldest, Rwandair, Royal Air Maroc and Kenya Airways have fleets with an average age of between 11.4 years and 5.8 years. Rwandair, founded in 2002 and the youngest of the African airlines, has a fleet average age of 7.1 years.

A random check on the fleet of Nigeria’s airlines indicates that the carriers still parade old aeroplanes in their fleet.

However, experts argue that there is no correlation between the age of an aircraft and its safety rating inasmuch as the operator undertakes maintenance repairs on the aircraft.

A member of the industry think-tank group; Aviation Safety Roundtable Initiative (ASTRI), Mr Olumide Ohunayo said the age of an aeroplane has nothing to do with its safety rating.

Ohunayo said: “As far as aviation is concerned, what matters is the maintenance schedule enforced on airlines by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and that is what keeps the airspace safe.

“The only problem with using an older aircraft is that it involves more fuel consumption and maintenance when compared to using newer models for flight services.”

Aligning with his position, an official of one of the leading carriers who pleaded not to be named said in 2018 alone, the carrier spent between $2.5 million and $3.5 million every 18 months to carry out C-check on aircraft in its fleet.

The official said maintenance of aircraft in the airline’s fleet was carried out in some of the best places in the world.

He said: “As professionals, we cannot be talking about the age of an aircraft because it has no impact on its safety. What matters is maintenance and we use some of the best facilities in the world.”

But, some old aircraft have been involved in air crashes in Nigeria, a situation that forced the Federal Government to evolve harsh measures, including setting an age limit for aeroplanes to be flown or brought into the country by indigenous carriers.

In 2002, the Federal Government formulated a policy that prohibited aircraft over 22 years from operating in the country’s airspace.

The 22-year age limit for aircraft flying in the country was part of the knee jerk reaction to the crash of a British Aerospace Company (BAC) 1-11 aircraft belonging to Executive Airline Services (EAS) Airlines in Kano.

Specifically in 2012, the Federal Government also imposed a 15-year age limit for aircraft operating in the country.

The decision was taken in the wake of the fatal Dana Air crash, which did not go down well with operators and industry experts who said the development threw up circumstances that propelled operators to pay significantly higher lease rates for aircraft.

As a consequence, the minimum rate for 15-year-old aircraft in 2012 was around $220,000 per month, compared to $120,000 for 18-year-old planes. The 15-year ban policy, which many experts and industry watchers described as unpopular, occasioned the retirement of many aeroplanes in the fleet of scheduled commercial airlines.

But, the last is yet to be heard on the matter as a recent study carried out by the global airline’s regulator-International Air Transport Association (IATA) links the retirement of old aeroplanes to a variety of factors.

A recent study by SGI Aviation, ordered by IATA said the average retirement age of a freighter aircraft is 32.5 years and for a passenger aircraft 25.1 years.

IATA said: “More than half of the aircraft which are utilised for commercial operations are retired between the age of 20 and 30 years.  Freighters accounted for 17 per cent of all the commercial aircraft retirements. Freighters tend to retire later than passenger aircraft.”

The IATA study reveals that the average retirement age for aircraft increased from 18.8 years in 1980-1984 to 29.4 years in 2005- 2009.

The retirement age, according to IATA, dropped to 27.6 years in the past six years due to the record-high oil prices in the early 2010s.

IATA is not a lone voice on the vexed matter. A study by another global regulator listed factors governing the retirement of aeroplanes to include;  pressurisation cycles, hours of flights and fuel efficiency.

Enter the age of tear-rubber aircraft

The narrative about the use of old aircraft altered in 2006 when Arik Air burgeoning at the material time brought in several new aeroplanes; Airbus 330, Boeing 747- 700/800 and Airbus 340 in a huge campaign it christened “Tear Rubber Airplanes”

The drive to have new aeroplanes continued in the sector with the thriving carrier for a few years until a combination of factors gradually plunged it into an uncertain future under the receivership of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Air Peace creeps in

In a twist of fate, the entrance of another carrier, Air Peace also furthered the thrive to saturate Nigerian airspace with new aircraft.

A few years into its operations, the carrier embarked on what the industry would describe as an audacious move when it broke the record announcing on September 13, 2018, the booking for 10 Boeing Max 8 new aeroplanes. The deal was valued at $1.17 billion.

Besides Air Peace, Arik Air and Green Africa Airways had placed firm orders for over 108 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

While Green African ordered 100, Arik asked for eight Boeing 737 Max 8 prototypes.

None is yet to take delivery of the aircraft type.

Arik Air, on May 9, 2016, announced that it has ordered eight Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft without fixing any date for the delivery of the aircraft, Green Africa Airways on its part on December 21, 2018, placed its order for 100 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

The 100 aircraft by Green Africa Airways was split into 50 firm orders and 50 options.

The deal was worth an estimated $11.7 billion at current list prices, making it the largest Boeing aircraft order from an African carrier.

While many industry players and experts lauded the carriers for the bold initiative, the carriers continued to navigate new curves.

Undaunted, Air Peace, on April 3, 2019, placed a record order for 30     new Embraer 195-E2 planes, the first of such in Africa. The transaction included 13 firm orders purchase rights for another 17 E195-E2 jets. The request has 124-seater jets in dual-class and 146-seater jets in single class configurations.

The deal, which was unveiled during Embraer Business Meeting with the aviation world in Port Louis, Mauritius, made the Nigerian firm the first to order the brand of jets on the continent and also the official launch customer of the brand in this part of the globe. With all purchase rights exercised, the contract had a value of N640.5 billion ($2.12 billion) based on the current price list.

Some of the aircraft have been delivered while Embraer promised to deliver the others in 2022.

Since the romance between Air Peace and the Brazilian aircraft maker began to blossom, the Nigerian airspace is increasingly becoming attractive to different types of aeroplanes.

Only recently, Air Peace took delivery of two new Airbus 320 to boost its operations. The airline, according to its spokesperson, Mr Stanley Olisa, was acquired in its drive to meet the growing travel needs in Nigeria and the larger West African markets where the use of new aeroplanes is gaining traction.

Information gleaned from airfleet.net indicates that among the Embraer 190/195 aircraft operated by 67 airlines globally, the five Embraer 195 E2 that are on the fleet of Air Peace rank the youngest.

State-run carriers alter stakes

As the aviation space deepens for more players, supranational entities are making forays into the airline business.

With bold statements, the state-run carrier: Ibom Air, which started flight operations over two years ago currently operates a relatively new fleet of aeroplanes consisting of Airbus 220-300 and four Bombardier CRJ-90 aircraft.

A few weeks ago, Ibom Air jolted the global aviation sector when it announced the order of 10 Airbus 220 aircraft to boost its fleet of new aeroplanes, which is increasingly advancing the drive for new equipment in the airspace.

The Chief Executive Officer of Ibom Air, Mr Mfon Udom said the choice of Airbus 220 for the state-run carrier is suitable for its equipment needs.

He said the order of the 10 aircraft aligns with the airline’s aggressive growth plan.

He said: “The order of the 10 Airbus A220 is in line with the airline’s aggressive growth plan, which will see us expanding into new domestic routes as well as regional routes covering West and Central Africa in the immediate future.

“The first phase of this expansion is set to cover cities such as Malabo, Douala, Libreville, Kinshasa, Accra, Abidjan, Freetown, Banjul and Dakar. Ultimately, the airline intends to operate throughout the Continent of Africa.”

The Chief Commercial Officer of Airbus, Mr Christian Scherer said “we are thrilled to add Ibom Air as a new Airbus customer. The A220 is ideally suited to Nigeria’s aviation needs, providing operational flexibility, growing the business, and responding to demand increased passenger services. Through this investment, Ibom Air is underscoring its ambition for regional and, in due course, international connectivity, efficiency and versatility.”

Fixed-wing operator changes style

As Nigerian carriers optimise the use of suitable aeroplanes, some operators are considering mixing their fleet to meet market dynamics.

To fuel this impetus, fixed-wing operator Overland Airways, reputed for its use of turbo propeller aircraft in secondary airports in Nigeria navigated another curve when it ordered six new Embraer regional jets to boost its fleet.

Investigations reveal that while Overland Airways will be paying the Brazilian aeroplane maker $299 million as the total value of the firm order, it has placed three new Embraer 175 and purchase rights for another three.

Speaking at the Dubai Airshow, President and Chief Executive Officer of Overland Airways, Captain Edward Boyo said: “We are confident that this is the right moment to invest, as regional aviation is on an optimistic post-pandemic recovery. Our customers will really enjoy all comfort in the E175, and we appreciate our partnership with Embraer.”

The aircraft ordered, Boyo said, will be delivered with a premium class cabin configuration and 88-seats from 2023. The deal is worth $299.4 million, at list prices, if all purchase rights are exercised.

Cesar Pereira, Vice-President for Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Embraer Commercial Aviation said the aircraft maker is exploiting long-term demand for right-sized aeroplanes needed for profitable flight operations in frontier markets, including Nigeria.

As more entities make a foray into the air transport business, a contiguous partner to Akwa Ibom State, Cross River has also set up an airline-Cally Air, which recently acquired some new aircraft in its fleet.

The airline received its 7 Boeing 737-500, in April 2021 and the second Boeing 737 in April 2021 is configured with 142 and 144 seats.

Cally Air will serve the new Obudu International Airport billed for completion soon.

Even fledging carrier NG Eagle Airlines, being packaged by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has also acquired some new aircraft navigating the skyline.

The two aircraft Boeing 737-700 with registration number 5N-MJG and Boeing 737-800 with registration number 5N-MJF arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos in February 2021 from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Data on age of aircraft

According to data provided by planespotters.net, Dana Airlines is among Nigerian carriers with older aeroplanes flying in the airspace.

At present, it operates a mixed fleet consisting of Mc Donald Douglass 82 and Boeing 737 aircraft.

In contrast to the ageing commercial airlines in Nigeria, Ethiopia Airlines, Africa’s largest, has 104 aircraft, with an average fleet age of 5.8 years.

Arguments for new aeroplanes

Globally, a huge debate has emerged on the motivation by carriers to have new aeroplanes in their fleet.

There is increasing awareness by some proponents that emissions from aircraft and other activities at airports could have an effect on air quality.

Some experts argue that due to technological advancement in aircraft manufacture, new aircraft emit 50 per cent less carbon monoxide and 90 per cent less smoke than those manufactured 50 years ago.

An expert, who pleaded not to be named queried? “Is the claim by airlines that they are reducing emissions by buying new, lower fuel-burning aircraft a genuine reflection of a commitment to protecting the environment.

“Rising maintenance costs in ageing aircraft, fuel burn degradation, fluctuations in used aircraft market value and capital cost of refurbishment and upgrade will, surely, have been the major considerations.

“Perhaps, environmental performance will become the pivotal factor in future aircraft choices but the simple test will be whether airlines will be willing to change or upgrade aircraft platforms if climate-friendly versions are more expensive. It seems highly unlikely that emissions alone will provide the impetus for a fleet renewal decision!

“The propensity to lease rather than buy aircraft means that the real cost of new technology is minimal to airlines; lease rates don’t really move that much in relative, inflation-adjusted, terms when buying a new platform compared to the one being phased out. And, they usually benefit from significantly lower fuel burn and maintenance costs.

“Basic supply and demand principles will drive the cost up, which will influence the cost-benefit equation in future; if the carbon credit cost increase wipes out the savings from lower fuel consumption, the environment may yet prove to be the number one factor in fleet selection.

“Secondly, do airlines maintain or increase ticket prices as a result of the investment in modern aircraft?

“The concern of the high cost of maintenance of older aeroplanes and the high cost of aviation fuel is forcing them to acquire newer aircraft.”

Operators’ views on the use of new aircraft

Chief Operating Officer, Air Peace, Mrs Toyin Olajide, said airlines are gravitating towards new aeroplanes because they are cost-saving and super-efficient. She described new aeroplanes as aircraft for the future. She said: “Brand-new planes are aircraft for now and the future.

“This is because a lot of money will be saved as regards the operating cost. There are savings on fuel; bearing in mind the high cost of aviation fuel in Nigeria. These aircraft coming into the country will help lower operating costs. Their performance is awesome.

“A lot of Nigerians, who hitherto were apprehensive of travelling by air, can now rest assured. This is the plane for them. Once on board such aircraft, you will feel transported to a world of luxury and comfort and most importantly, safety.”

Corroborating her position, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema said the Nigerian aviation sector was in for a raw deal as newer aeroplanes will soon flood the skies.

Onyema also stated that the airline hopes to take delivery of all 13 firm orders by the end of 2022, while it will activate 10 orders from the 17 purchase rights left.

This implies that within the next couple of years, the Nigerian and West African flying public will have about 23 brand-new aircraft to fly in courtesy of Air Peace, in its unwavering drive to interconnect major cities across the African Continent.

Onyema said: “By next year, we hope to receive all the 13 aeroplanes we have already made firm orders for and by the end of 2023, we intend to activate payment for another 10 of the aircraft brand which will bring it to 23. And we have new routes that we want to deploy the aircraft to. We have new routes that we have just opened, and more routes will still come in the coming months.

“The impact of these new planes is massive, especially in the areas of employment creation and further bolstering Nigeria’s image on the international aviation scene, giving her the toga of a country that can boast of an airline with several brand new aircraft, littering the skies and giving travellers an exceptional flight experience.”

 Regulatory verdict

Indigenous operators are not in a lone race to get brand-new aeroplanes in their fleet.

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika said the move was part of the Federal Government’s roadmaps for the sector.

Speaking in a recent interview, Sirika insisted that the use of brand-new aeroplanes by Nigerian carriers would change the dynamics in airlines’ profitability and sustainability, by driving down maintenance and fueling costs.

The Director-General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu, has described the acquisition of brand-new aircraft by indigenous carriers as a milestone that has triggered a paradigm shift in the air transport sector.

He said: “The use of brand-new aircraft is the right equipment for the sector currently. It not only helps the operator to break even with low passenger figures but brings down the cost of aircraft maintenance. It helps to reduce the operational cost.

“Another factor is that the new aircraft is absolutely great for the environment; it does less pollution. I am really proud that I am the director-general of the regulatory body when this paradigm shift is happening.

“We are all here to work together to grow the industry.”

Global fleet forecast

New dynamics are also evolving in the global aircraft demand space.

Many aircraft manufacturers, including the Boeing Company, Airbus Corporation, Embraer Company; ATR, Bombardier Company are seeking penetration into frontier markets.

Nigeria, in Sub-Saharan Africa, is part of the new markets.

Investigations reveal that many aircraft manufacturers are jostling for the Nigerian market.

According to Chi-Aviation, an international aviation database and consultancy services company that collects and publishes information on aircraft, airlines and airports narrow-body jets account for the highest number of active aeroplanes in use by global carriers with 71 per cent followed by regional active jets at 62 per cent.

Regional turboprop propellers active aircraft account for 55 per cent whereas wide-body jets account for 39 per cent active aircraft by the market group.

For grounded aircraft, wide-body jets account for 39 per cent, followed by regional turbo propellers leading with 45 per cent. Regional jets account for 38 per cent of grounded aeroplanes whereas narrow-body jets stand at 29 per cent.

According to Chi-Aviation, the total global fleet size currently counts 28,083 aircraft, of which 22,764 are active, and 5,319 are grounded in September 2021.

Chi-Aviation statistics revealed that “the active aircraft fleet grew by 22 per cent from September 2020 to September 2021.

“Asia and North America have firmly established themselves at the top when it comes to continents with the most active aircraft. Asia currently counts 7,657, whereas North America has 7,025 active aircraft.

Europe ranks third with 5,737 active aircraft, followed by Africa (881), South America (855), and Oceania (609).

All continents have experienced a rise in active fleets, with Asia witnessing the largest increase, with almost seven per cent more active fleets than the previous month.

The Netherlands’ active fleet grows month after month, and it remains first among the top10 countries with the most active aircraft (with/more than 100 aircraft in its portfolio).

Currently, 218 of the 220 aircraft are active. Hungary, Poland, Japan, the Russian Federation, Ireland, China, Austria, Malta, and Ethiopia are next, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the active fleet.