In the past two decades, Nigeria’s skyline has become an unexpected stage for a drastic rise in private aviation.
What was once a rare symbol of elite mobility has grown into a fleet of well over a hundred business jets crisscrossing domestic and international routes.
According to industry figures, the number of private business aircraft operating in the country climbed from just 44 in 2005 to 157 by 2024, a surge of more than 350% that reflects both expanding wealth and shifting travel habits among the nation’s affluent.
Flying a private jet is not just about convenience; it’s about connecting business faster, offering access where commercial airlines cannot, flexibility, and providing a level of service that combines luxury, reliability, and exclusivity.
These jets allow business moguls, musicians, athletes, and other high-net-worth individuals to move quickly, either for work or leisure.
Flying a private jet is costly; flights start at around $3,000 and above, depending on the aircraft, distance, and level of luxury, making these jets accessible to only a select group of Nigeria’s economic elite.
The private jet business in Nigeria is built on relationships, trust, and discretion. Most clients come through referrals, with operators rarely advertising broadly.
Every flight is a careful balance of strict safety standards, experienced crews, and regulatory compliance from air operator certificates to international operational approvals.
This article explores the individuals driving Nigeria’s private jet market, investing heavily in one of the most elite forms of personal transport.
Here are the owners of commercial private jet companies in Nigeria
Segun Demuren is a Nigerian aviation entrepreneur and the founder and chief executive officer of Evergreen Apple Nigeria Ltd now EAN Aviation/EAN Aero Fleet.
Demuren’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems from Marist University in the United States. He also completed advanced executive programmes, including the IATA Advanced Management Program in Air Transport at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and an Advanced Management Programme at Lagos Business School (Pan-African University). His foundational education began at Federal Government College, Kaduna.
Before founding EAN Aviation, Demuren gathered professional experience in business systems and management. He worked as a Business Systems Analyst with AllianceBernstein early in his career, and later led Evergreen Apple Mining, where he developed and managed mining operations before transitioning fully into aviation services.
Demuren founded Evergreen Apple Nigeria Ltd in 2009, later rebranding as EAN Aviation and EAN Aero Fleet, responding to a clear gap he saw in Nigeria’s corporate aviation sector. The company began by launching the country’s first fixed-base operator (FBO) and aviation service centre adjacent to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, offering VIP lounges, hangar services, ground handling, executive dispatch, and a luxury terminal experience for private jet clients services that were previously unavailable in West Africa.
Today, EAN Hangar Jet Centre has become a full-spectrum aviation hub providing aircraft management, sales and acquisition assistance, charter services, finance solutions, and aircraft maintenance, all under one roof.
EAN’s operations are centred at its hangar jet centre at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, offer executive flight support, fixed base operations and advanced maintenance services to jet owners and corporate clients.
Great Job.
The Aviation sector in very important for economy growth and among the few internationally regulated sectors.
We need to focus on how well to serve both the indigenous and foreign own private jets companies/owners as they are among the 1% world elite that their influence shape how a country or it people are viewed.
Airport is a gate way what this 1% experience is how they perceived and report above the people of the host nation.
We can serve better.