Frontline Nigerian business aviation firm, VivaJets, has advocated for the reduction of barriers to air travel in Africa. At the recently concluded Africa CEO Forum Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, the firm’s CEO, Chukwuerika Achum, issued a clarion call for the urgent dismantling of long-standing obstacles within Africa’s aviation industry.
A brand under Falcon Aerospace Limited, VivaJets provides aircraft charter, management, sales and acquisition services with a focus on innovation and accessibility. The firm recently obtained an Air Operating Certificate (AOC) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), amidst a rapid global expansion in the last two years.
Speaking with the media on the sidelines of the event, Achum pointed out the need for improvement in intra-African air connectivity, mentioning that aviation is a key driver of economic integration and growth on the continent.
“It’s easier today to fly from Lagos to London than from Lagos to Abidjan,” Achum stated, pointing to the inefficiencies and fragmentation that continue to plague the continent’s aviation network. He emphasized that the status quo, where air travel within Africa remains prohibitively expensive, infrequent, and operationally cumbersome is holding back progress across sectors, from trade to tourism to investment.
Achum also spoke on the structural challenges and emerging opportunities in the sector. He noted that a combination of limited infrastructure, overregulation, and poor collaboration among African states has restricted the ability of airlines, both commercial and private to scale effectively across borders.
“Our skies are still segmented by outdated agreements and policies,” he said. “What Africa needs is a unified, modern aviation strategy that prioritizes accessibility, innovation, and collaboration.”
When asked whether Africa is ready to begin manufacturing aircraft parts locally, Achum responded that such ambitions must be guided by market realities. “You don’t build a manufacturing base just to make a political point,” he said. “There must be volume. There must be demand. Until intra-African trade and logistics grow significantly, we won’t be able to support high-volume, high-tech manufacturing on the continent.”
The aviation tycoon expressed frustration over the lack of follow-through in policies. “We hear all the right things, but when it’s time to act, nothing happens,” he said. “Even something as basic as getting a landing permit for a business jet from Lagos to Abidjan can take up to 48 hours.”
He added that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) travel certificate, designed to facilitate free movement within the region, is not recognized in some member states, including Côte d’Ivoire. “We say we want regional integration, yet it’s often easier to fly from Lagos to Paris than Lagos to Abidjan,” Achum noted.
He concluded on an optimistic note, expressing confidence in Africa’s long-term aviation potential.
“We are a continent of over 1.4 billion people, with growing cities, industries, and innovation hubs. If we get aviation right, we unlock a future where Africans can move, trade, and connect freely; and that future is within reach.”
