Field Support Manager, Field Support Manager, CEO of Total Energies E&P(L) Jerry Ugolo and Erika Achum Vivajets at Abuja's recently owned Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week.
Vivajets, an innovative civil airline, highlights the important role of civil aviation in the African oil and gas industry. The startup airline is a sponsor and exhibitor of Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week, recently concluded in Abuja, whose executives argued why civil aviation must be considered a key enabler of Africa's continued energy conversion.
Vivajets CEO Erika Achum spoke with the media to explain how hassle-free air mobility is needed to unlock efficiency, speed and strategic advantages in the oil and gas sector.
“As we know, the oil and gas industry is an important part of Nigeria's economy. We only make up 6% of our GDP, but we make up about 80% of our total exports as a country.”
“Looking at the pace at which the oil and gas industry operates, we need reliable, flexible and safe mobility. Civil aviation is no longer a luxury, it's becoming an infrastructure,” Achum said. “Our role at Vivajets is to ensure that players from major industry can move where and where they need it, so that avoidable delays prevent operations from being hampered.”
The NOG Energy Week Conference & Exhibition is a vital gathering for the global energy sector. The 24th edition of this influential event took place in Abuja, Nigeria from June 29th to July 3rd, 2025 in Abuja and was one of the largest energy exhibitions in sub-Saharan Africa, attracting over 7,000 visitors and featuring 350 exhibitors. The event attracted top stakeholders from across the oil and gas value chain, including government agencies, multinational corporations, indigenous players and service providers.
Tejumade Salami, chief operating officer at Vivajets, stressed that the energy sector cannot develop without smarter transportation solutions.
“We are proud as Vivajets to support key players who keep the economy alive by ensuring that the oil and gas industry remains vibrant. For us, it's important to understand their problems, understand their business a little more, and ultimately provide better service to them.”
Vivajets' participation demonstrates the growing perception of aviation as an infrastructure for industry where aviation is not only a management team, but also time-sensitive decision-making, remote mobility, and operational security are not negotiable.
In the high-stakes oil and gas sector, time is currency. The role of civil aviation has shifted from luxury to necessity when moving senior teams between offshore sites, promoting investor visits, or providing fast response solutions. Vivajets helps to bridge this logistical gap, providing flexible and efficient air mobility at the pace and scale of the industry.
As Africa strengthens its drive towards energy conversion, infrastructure, including aviation, will become important. Vivajets' message at Nog Week was clear. Mobility can no longer be an afterthought. For the oil and gas industry to evolve, it needs to move quickly, cleverly, safely, and civil aviation must be the bridge.
