Overview
Nigeria’s most recognised Aviation Law Practice.
Aluko & Oyebode is Nigeria’s foremost aviation law practice—the first call for airlines, lessors, lenders, MROs, OEMs, airports, handlers, investors and government across every dimension of the Nigerian and international aviation markets. Our award-winning team combines unrivalled finance, regulatory and disputes capability with deep specialist insight across aircraft and engine leasing, Cape Town Convention strategy, NCAA engagement, airport concessions and consumer issues. We execute precedent-setting transactions, cut through regulatory complexity with authority, and defend value decisively when enforcement, repossession or insolvency risk arises. Our footprint spans Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, extends seamlessly across Africa through our ALN alliance, and reaches the world’s leading aviation markets through established referral relationships and specialist networks, delivering consistent, trusted, on-the-ground execution wherever our clients need us.
No other Nigerian firm matches our command of the aviation environment. We navigate Nigeria’s complex regulatory landscape, foreign exchange dynamics, security perfection over mobile assets, and the commercial realities of Africa’s most active aviation market—not just with knowledge, but with a track record that speaks for itself.
Services
Aviation Finance and Leasing
Our recognised aviation finance team structures and closes operating and finance leases, sale-and-leasebacks, PDP and PDP-backed facilities, ECA-supported financings and restructurings at speed and scale. We perfect aircraft mortgages, secure registrations and deploy Cape Town Convention remedies with a precision that protects title, enforceability and client timelines.
Regulatory, Licensing and Compliance
Our leading regulatory practice secures AOCs, economic permits, route and traffic rights, and provides definitive advice across NCAA, FAAN, NAMA, customs and consumer regimes. We build governance and compliance frameworks that stay ahead of regulator expectations, eliminate operational disruption and underpin sustainable growth.
Aircraft and Engine Sale, Purchase and Title Perfection
Our experienced team runs acquisitions and disposals of fixed- and rotary-wing assets from diligence through IDERA/GAT filings, escrow, bills of sale and delivery. We sharpen closing mechanics, CP suites and tax structures to accelerate entry into service and maximise residual value at every stage.
Airports, Ground Handling and Infrastructure
Recognised for our depth in infrastructure and public-private partnership, we advise on airport concessions, PPPs, ground handling licences, tariff frameworks, commercial agreements and real estate interfaces. Our projects bench imposes bankability discipline on procurement, risk allocation and financing to deliver transactions that actually close.
Disputes, Repossession and Insolvency
Nigeria’s foremost aviation disputes practice enforces security, recovers aircraft, manages detentions and injunctions, and prosecutes or defends complex aviation litigation and arbitration with a record of success. We handle standstills, workouts and insolvency-adjacent strategies with speed, tenacity and complete discretion.
Drones and Advanced Air Mobility
Our forward-looking team guides UAS operators and OEMs on certification, airspace and payload rules, data and privacy compliance. We are at the forefront of shaping compliant, commercially viable business models for surveying, logistics and urban air mobility as Nigeria’s regulatory frameworks develop.
Tax, FX and Customs for Aviation
Our tax specialists optimise VAT, duties and exemptions on imports and leases, and de-risk cross-border cash flows under CBN FX controls with authority. We coordinate customs clearance to keep delivery and redelivery precisely on schedule.
Employment and Business Immigration
Our expert team structures crew and technical staff arrangements, expatriate quota and CERPAC planning, and aligns rostering and contractor models with Nigerian labour and safety requirements—providing certainty across every aspect of aviation workforce management.
Insurance and Risk Transfer
Our team negotiates hull and liability programmes and integrates contractual risk allocation, subrogation and indemnities across OEM, MRO and ground handling relationships, minimising exposure and ensuring our clients are protected at every point of risk.
Selected Experience
Advised AFG Aviation Ireland Limited
Advised AFG Aviation Ireland Limited on the finance lease of two Bombardier CRJ1000 aircraft to Cally Air (Cross River State)—a transaction covering Nigerian law, regulatory strategy, delivery and entry into service, and widely reported in the aviation press.
Acted as transaction counsel to Skyway Aviation
Acted as transaction counsel to Skyway Aviation Handling Company on its landmark merger with Skypower Aviation Handling Company and the subsequent IPO and NSE listing—a landmark mandate recognised by leading international directories.
Represented CHC Helicopters in terminating
Represented CHC Helicopters in terminating its joint venture with Aero Contractors and restructured the post-termination operations and cooperation framework—a complex mandate handled with precision and commercial sophistication.
Advised Access Bank on a USD5 million loan
Advised Access Bank on a USD5 million loan to Oilserv Limited for aircraft acquisition, including all Nigerian security and perfection workstreams—delivering seamless execution across finance and aviation law.
Advised on the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
Advised on the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport concession, applying our unrivalled PPP and project finance expertise to procurement, risk allocation and regulatory interface on one of Nigeria’s most significant infrastructure mandates.
Client Quotes
“The team at Aluko & Oyebode understands the Nigerian market well.”
Awards and Accolades
Aluko & Oyebode is Nigeria’s most decorated law firm. Chambers Global 2025 ranks us Band 1 across major practice categories—our twentieth consecutive year at the top.
Chambers Global 2025
The Legal 500 EMEA 2025 awards multiple Tier 1 rankings, recognising our aviation-aligned and adjacent capabilities.
The Legal 500 EMEA 2025
IFLR1000 2025 confirms our leadership in finance and capital markets, with particular acclaim for structured and asset-backed aviation financing.
IFLR1000 2025
The ESQ Awards 2025 names us Aviation Team of the Year among several firm-wide wins.
The ESQ
Consistent Lexology Index listings throughout 2024–2025 further validate the depth of expertise and the confidence our clients place in us.
EMEA Finance Achievement Awards 2024
“The team at Aluko & Oyebode understands the Nigerian market well.”
Client feedback
Thought Leadership
