VivaJets highlights private aviation’s role in Africa’s oil, gas industry

Erika Achum, CEO, VivaJets, (R) with a delegate at the recently held Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week in Abuja

VivaJets, private aviation firm, has underscored the crucial role of private aviation in Africa’s oil and gas industry.

The start-up aviation firm was a sponsor and exhibitor at the recently concluded Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week in Abuja, where its executives made a case for why private aviation must be viewed as an important enabler in Africa’s ongoing energy transformation.

Speaking to the media, VivaJets’ CEO, Erika Achum, explained how hassle-free air mobility is needed to unlock efficiency, speed, and strategic advantage in the oil and gas sector.

“As we know, the oil and gas industry is a vital part of Nigeria’s economy. Even though it makes up only six percent of our GDP, it accounts for about 80 percent of our entire exports as a country.”

“When you look at the pace at which the oil and gas industry operates, there’s a growing need for reliable, flexible, and secure mobility. Private aviation is no longer just a luxury, it is becoming infrastructure”, said Achum. “Our role at VivaJets is to ensure key industry players can move when and where they need to, so their operations are not held back by avoidable delays”.

The NOG Energy Week Conference & Exhibition is a pivotal gathering for the global energy sector. The 24th edition of this influential event, held in Abuja from June 29th to July 3rd, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria, was one of the largest energy exhibitions in Sub-Saharan Africa, attracting over 7,000 visitors and featuring 350 exhibitors. The event convened top stakeholders from across the oil and gas value chain, including government agencies, multinational corporations, indigenous players, and service providers.

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Tejumade Salami, Chief Operating Officer of VivaJets, emphasised that the energy sector cannot develop without smarter transportation solutions.

“We are proud as VivaJets to support the major players who are keeping our economy alive by ensuring that our oil and gas industry remains vibrant. For us, it’s important to be here to understand their pain points, to understand their business a bit more, and ultimately, to serve them better.”

VivaJets’ participation shows the growing recognition of aviation as infrastructure not just for executives, but for industries where time-sensitive decision-making, mobility to remote locations, and operational security are non-negotiable.

In the high-stakes oil and gas sector, time is currency. If it’s moving senior teams between offshore sites, facilitating investor visits, or providing rapid-response solutions, the role of private aviation has shifted from luxury to necessity. VivaJets is helping to bridge this logistical gap, offering flexible and efficient air mobility that aligns with the industry’s pace and scale.

As Africa intensifies its drive toward energy transformation, infrastructure, including aviation, will be key. VivaJets’ message at NOG Week was clear: mobility can no longer be an afterthought.

For the oil and gas industry to evolve, it must move fast, smart, and securely, and private aviation is the bridge.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.