Amidst economic pressures in many African countries, the continent has experienced a massive boom in civil aviation, where civil aviation has reportedly increased by 15% over the past year.
According to key experts, players in this boom come mainly from Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. For a long time, civil aviation has been seen as a luxury accessible to the top elite, and is becoming a tool to promote business connectivity in Africa.
One of the companies located at the fulcrum of this development is Nigerian Vivajt, one of the latest companies to receive a certificate of Aviation Operator (AOC) from Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). A brand under the Falcon Aero Group, Vivajets offers the best aviation services with a focus on innovation and inclusiveness. Through platforms Charterxe and FlyPJX, the company maintains its commitment to luxury and excellence while making civil aviation more accessible.
In December 2024, Vivajets sponsored the African Financial Summit (AFI) in Casablanca, Morocco. From the beginning, Vivajets set out to meet two missions that set it apart in the aviation industry.
First, we would like to deploy business aviation as a tool to solve business connectivity issues within and with Africa. Second, we want to democratize access to civil aviation, making services more inclusive and accessible to more people, while making them more inclusive and accessible.
It is appropriate to put it in perspective to understand the gaps in business connectivity in Africa. In Africa, despite physical proximity, political, linguistic and infrastructure constraints complicate communication and transport between countries. This has made it difficult for Africans and businesses to run within Africa. Flying around Africa, for example, can be difficult, long and frustrating for business executives.
Chukwuerika Achum, CEO of Vivajets, briefly states, pointing out how ridiculous it is that commercial flights from Lagos to Luanda (three hours away) have to be detoured in Europe. By leveraging civil aviation, executives can reach their target destinations faster and more conveniently, thus solving connectivity issues.
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However, the cost of booking a private jet is so prohibitive that it is often considered a luxury accessible to just a few people. This is Vivajets' second mission to make private aviation more accessible and affordable.
On the one hand, the company is increasing its ability to meet growing demand, while on the other hand, it will deploy collaboration, technology and other innovations to increase affordability and open the market to new customer segments.
One factor that gives Vivajets an edge in this space is its end-to-end business model that combines aircraft maintenance, acquisitions, sales and charter services all into one basket. For example, aircraft under fractional ownership programs can serve other customers on charter flights, while simultaneously generating revenue for owners and maintaining the aircraft.
The company's fractional ownership program ensures that aircraft are invested in owners as much as business tools. Additionally, Vivajets has launched openings in several countries in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America, leveraging significant international cooperation to raise funds and expand its business capabilities.
This has led the company to participate in several well-known international events, including the World Economic Forum, WEF (Davos), the African CEO Forum, ACF (Kigali), the African Conference, AFSIC (London), and the latest African Financial Summit, AFIS (Casablanca).
In Casablanca, Achum said business aviation is not just a service. It is an important enabler for progress. It helps connect leaders, ideas and opportunities and shape a brighter future in Africa.
Chief Operating Officer Tejumade Salami added that the company is “democratizing” civil aviation, allowing more leaders and organizations to leverage the benefits to drive growth and transformation in Africa.
Finally, in its quest to make civil aviation comprehensive, Vivajets leverages technology, leading to the emergence of two new brands under the Falcon Aero Group. One of the products being developed is Charterxe, a digital platform for private jet reservations.
Charterxe is ready to cause disruption to the African civil aviation industry, similar to riding an app like Uber went to a taxi. By eliminating intermediaries and reducing bottlenecks, Charterxe can make civil aviation more efficient and affordable. Another technology product in production is FlyPJX, a novel per-seat charter that allows seats to be booked on aircraft rather than on the entire plane.
“Innovation and technology have been an important part of our success story. Product Head Basil Agbah said it was sponsored by AFSIC, which took place in October 2024.
Vivajets has previously influenced exclusive and conservative industries with a unique approach that combines world-class aviation services, international collaboration and technology utilization.
