VivaJets, an African business aviation company under the Falcon Aerospace Group, has urged African leaders to move beyond policy declarations and begin implementing practical measures that will drive economic connectivity across the continent.
The call was made during the just-concluded Africa CEO Forum 2026 held in Kigali, Rwanda, where the company stressed that Africa’s economic growth depends largely on the seamless movement of people, businesses and investments.
This was contained in a statement made available to The PUNCH by VivaJets on Tuesday.
The Africa CEO Forum is one of the continent’s largest gatherings of public and private sector leaders. Founded in 2012 by the Jeune Afrique Media Group, the forum convenes heads of state, investors and corporate executives to discuss investment, economic development and public-private partnerships.
The 2026 edition, held from 14 to 15 May, was themed ‘The Scale Imperative: Why Africa Must Embrace Shared Ownership’.
According to the statement, on the sidelines of the event, the Chief Executive Officer of VivaJets, Erika Achum, told journalists that Africa already possesses the vision for integration but lacks the coordinated implementation needed to unlock its economic potential.
Achum said, “As a three-year supporter of the Africa CEO Forum, I have watched the energy, participation and corporate goodwill grow significantly with every edition. The commitments made by both public and private sector leaders are inspiring.”
The VivaJets boss, however, noted that Africa must urgently shift from rhetoric to execution.
“The real question is whether these commitments are translating into concrete action. We do not just need treaties and declarations; we need harmonised regulations, cross-border policies and infrastructure that can immediately support trade, investment and movement across the continent,” Achum added.
The Chief Operating Officer of VivaJets, Tejumade Salami, said Africa’s integration ambitions would remain difficult to achieve without seamless mobility across regions.
“At VivaJets, we see ourselves not just as an aviation provider but as a business connectivity catalyst. Private aviation helps remove geographic barriers to commerce by offering reliable and flexible mobility for business leaders across Africa,” Salami said.
Salami added that supportive regulatory frameworks would be critical in helping the aviation sector bridge connectivity gaps and support continental growth.
Also speaking, the company’s Head of Business Transformation, Kayode Adebiyi, said the firm’s participation at the forum reflected its long-term commitment to improving operational connectivity within Africa.
“To facilitate a truly integrated Africa, the aviation industry itself must evolve. This is why VivaJets is investing in expansion, technological innovation and international partnerships aimed at building a more efficient fleet capable of meeting the mobility needs of African leaders and businesses,” Adebiyi said.
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