VivaJets has expanded its charter operations with the addition of a 44-seat Embraer ERJ-140, a move that broadens its capacity beyond executive travel and positions the Nigerian private aviation company to serve larger corporate groups, government delegations and energy-sector clients across Africa.
The latest fleet addition marks another milestone in the airline’s rapid growth strategy, coming amid increased investment, international expansion and a stronger focus on improving connectivity across the continent.
The ERJ-140, configured to accommodate up to 44 passengers, enables VivaJets to cater to group charter operations while complementing its existing fleet of business jets. The aircraft, previously operated in the United States by Envoy Air, a subsidiary of American Airlines Group, was later registered in Nigeria as 5N-ANQ and is now based in Lagos, where it is expected to enter commercial service.
Operating under Falcon Aerospace, VivaJets provides aircraft charter, management and brokerage services. Since commencing operations in 2022, the company has accumulated more than 2,000 flight hours, serving corporate organisations, government agencies and clients in the energy industry on domestic and international routes. Following the award of its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority in March 2025, the carrier now operates a fleet comprising the new ERJ-140, two Bombardier Challenger 604s, a Hawker 850XP and a Hawker 900XP, with plans for additional aircraft before the end of the third quarter of 2026.
The airline’s expansion has been supported by significant funding. In October 2025, VivaJets secured a $10 million credit facility from London-based TLG Capital in partnership with Wema Bank, described as the first internationally structured aviation financing for a Nigerian airline. That was followed in April 2026 by an additional $15 million capital injection, alongside the launch of its first operational hub outside Nigeria in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, strengthening access to Francophone West Africa and key energy markets across the region.
Falcon Aerospace has also expanded its international footprint through a joint venture, OrientJets, established with Aruba-based Flybird Aircraft Management Services to support global charter operations.
The company’s growth reflects increasing demand for business aviation across Africa, particularly from the oil and gas sector, where reliable and flexible air transport remains critical for moving personnel and equipment to remote locations. VivaJets estimates that about 80 percent of its charter business comes from corporate and government customers, with energy companies accounting for a significant share of demand.
Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk, said efficient aviation remains essential to Africa’s economic development.
“Aviation is infrastructure for African energy, and VivaJets has shown how quickly a homegrown company can build the kind of connectivity that the sector needs. When investors and operators can move across borders without friction, deals close faster and projects move forward,” he said.
Beyond fleet expansion, VivaJets has advocated reforms to improve intra-African air travel, including the removal of restrictive visa requirements for flight crews and greater harmonisation of aviation regulations in line with the African Union’s Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) initiative.
From launching with a single aircraft in 2022 to becoming a licensed operator with international financing, an expanding fleet and growing cross-border operations, VivaJets has emerged as one of Africa’s fastest-growing private aviation companies. The airline is also set to return as a Gold Sponsor of African Energy Week 2026 in Cape Town after serving as the event’s official private aviation partner in 2025.
