Harold Okwa is the managing director for Jetseta, one of Nigeria’s leading private jet providers. In this interview with Ifeoma Okeke, he speaks of the growth of private jets and charter operations in Nigeria and prospects for expansion.
Have you observed any increase in patronage for your charter services in Nigeria since 2016 to 2018?
Yes, we have experienced an increase in charter services right from the 4th quarter of 2018. We initially had about 50 business jets in the country around 2016, this had gone up to around 80 to 90 business jets by my estimates.
If so, do you think this increase may have been driven by the recent election campaigns in Nigeria or just that people now prefer charter services to scheduled commercial operations?
I think both reasons have played a big role in the increase in charter services. Firstly, due to the campaigns, a lot of the time slots for commercial airlines do not fit in well with the campaign rallies, and as such, various parties have to make alternative arrangements to ensure that the rallies can go on as planned. Second reason is due to the increased demand in commercial operations, as more people demand their services, this has created a lot of pressure for the operators, and resulted in delays, cancellations, among others. As a result, passengers who are “cash rich and time poor” are forced to make other arrangements, to ensure their plans do not suffer.
Have there been more operators coming into charter services recently?
Certainly, the number of aircraft in country has increased, as for operators this has not increased as much, because of the time lag in new operators to get operating licenses
What has sustained your operations in Nigeria since you commenced?
I think the shared charter ‘single seats’ is what has sustained our operations. This has helped to democratize private flights to allow more users. It has created a niche of users who are time sensitive and can’t stand delays or cancellations.
How long have you been in Nigeria and can you tell us the services you offer?
Jetseta is a virtual airline company creating access to private aviation and helicopter shuttle services, whether it’s a complete charter by an individual or individuals sharing an aircraft to a common destination. We do our best to meet our client’s needs.
Who are your target markets?
Simple, we focus on client’s who are time poor and have the means to pay for a private flight.
How do you source for crew and pilots for your operations in Nigeria?
We try not to get involved with the operational side of the business. What we do is mainly work with aircraft owners who already have their crew. Our main focus is to help them utilize whatever spare capacity they may have.
Do you think the market has seen significant improvement since five years? Why?
The market has seen a good level of improvement over the period we have been around, especially when it comes to potential customers getting more access to information on aircraft, charter rates and options to meet clients’ needs in general. This is mainly because a lot of companies like Jetseta have come into the space to provide significantly more information on service and value proposition. Saying this, I would still stress that there is loads and loads of room for improvement in the business aviation space.
What has the journey been like for you since you commenced operations in Nigeria and what are the potentials for growth and expansion?
I would say the journey thus far has been very interesting. A lot of the times we have had to revise our expectations and be very flexible to compete in the Nigerian aviation climate. The potentials are still very large and untapped. One good area would be to change both customer and operator mindset to encourage the use of Turbo-props. This would help drive down operational costs, and subsequently charter prices. This would ultimately help drive growth and expansion.
What are the challenges of operating charter and private jet operations in Nigeria? And how can they be navigated?
There are a number of challenges. One of the major ones is the perception that charter and private jet operations are a luxury. This may not necessarily be the case, as a lot of the time our operations are aimed to meet greater efficiency than commercial airlines especially in allowing business people access the most remote areas, which commercial aviation may not allow them to effectively access. We hope to navigate this challenge purely by educating and giving potential clients more information on our services and the advantages of private charters especially as it relates to opportunity cost.
