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
Chukwuerika Achum is a Nigerian aviation professional and entrepreneur best known as the founder and chief executive of Falcon Aerospace Limited, the group behind FlyPJX, CharterXE and VivaJets.
He is also the founder of The Adrenalina, a creative workspace venture, and a co-founder of Drone Air Nigeria.
He holds a Master’s degree in Transport Management with a focus on Aviation Management from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, completed in 2020. He also earned a postgraduate diploma in Transport Management from the same institution and undertook specialised training in Aviation Safety Management at the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering in 2014.
Achum began his career deep within the operational side of aviation, starting as a flight dispatcher with Chanchangi Airlines and later Associated Aviation. He moved through technical and instructional roles at the International Aviation College in Ilorin and Landover Aviation School, before taking on management positions that exposed him to flight operations, safety systems and regulatory compliance across Nigeria’s aviation sector.
His most significant achievement came in 2022 with the launch of Falcon Aerospace Limited, a holding company designed to rethink how private aviation services are accessed and managed.
Through VivaJets, the group operates as a full-service business aviation company handling aircraft management, charter operations, leasing and regulatory engagement. CharterXE was introduced as a digital charter booking platform to simplify private jet access, while FlyPJX broke new ground by offering per-seat bookings on business jets, targeting a wider market beyond traditional high-net-worth clients.
In 2025, VivaJets secured a $10 million financing facility to expand operations and fleet capacity, one of the rare structured aviation financings for a Nigerian operator. The company has also received its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, allowing it to operate commercially and support regional connectivity initiatives.
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.