VistaJet renews its commitment to West Africa’s economic development

VistaJet, the world’s first and only global business aviation company, today announced the conclusion of the company’s first-ever roadshow static display in West Africa, engaging with media and stakeholders in the region’s most vibrant cities, including Abidjan, Accra, Lagos, and Abuja. The roadshow was organized in support of VistaJet’s regional growth plans.

According to Aviation Benefits Beyond Borders, the aviation industry supports $3.5 trillion (4.1%) of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). If the industry were a country, it would rank 17th in size by GDP, equating to the GDP of Indonesia and the Netherlands. In Nigeria, aviation annually contributes over $600 million to the national GDP creating more than 241,000 jobs. Moreover, the aviation market is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades. By 2038, global air transport is forecast to support 143 million jobs and contribute $6.3 trillion to the global economy. Similarly, $2.5 trillion total investable wealth is currently held in the African continent, and its millionaire population is set to rise by 65% over the next ten years. This finding is according to the 2024 Africa Wealth Report, the definitive guide to Africa’s wealth and luxury sector.

"VistaJet provides great value to clients in West Africa and is the perfect flying solution for West African corporates and businesses as a hassle-free and timesaving tool to connect world decision-makers domestically and across continents, boosting economies and driving global investments. Now, with three dedicated aircraft in the region, VistaJet aims to accelerate its trajectory as a key partner for the region's economic development. The business aviation sector will play a crucial role in this growth, as in other regional economic transformations. VistaJet is pleased to be able to support Africa's economic development."

Philippe Scalabrini, President of Europe and Africa at VistaJet

VistaJet has experienced strong momentum at the start of 2024 (Q1 2024 vs Q1 2023) in Africa, with a 69% increase in Global 7500 flight hours and a 91% increase in Program Members over the last twelve months. In West Africa specifically, VistaJet has seen a 58% increase in total flight hours. More and more clients globally are recognizing that VistaJet provides the best value and end-to-end experience, and its expanded team of over 4,400 experts is fully committed to developing the next era of innovative flying solutions across the globe. On the Vista Members’ fleet of over 300 silver and red business jets, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments, and private clients to 2,400 airports and 207 counties and territories, covering 96% of the world. Founded in 2004, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers can access an entire fleet while paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJet’s signature Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on a fleet of mid and long-range jets to fly in as little as 24 hours’ notice.

A renowned global aviation brand with a sterling reputation, VistaJet entered the African and Middle Eastern markets in 2010. Flying private with VistaJet is the perfect solution for African corporations and businesses due to the reliability, flexibility, efficiency, anonymity, and safety it offers. Due to high demand from the continent, VistaJet placed dedicated Challenger 605 aircraft in West Africa, starting with one in 2022, and now three in 2024 to meet the surge in demand. The Challenger 605 is great for the West African region – it flies domestically across Africa, to Europe directly and from West Africa to Dubai without stops – connecting world decision-makers across continents, boosting economies, and driving global investment. The Global 6000 and Global 7500 aircraft are also immensely popular in the region – flying on a Global 6000 from Lagos to Singapore is a popular trip, showing strong, substantial investments across the African and Asian continents. It is game-changing for clients to save time by traveling this distance without having to stop to refuel or experiencing the complexity and inefficiencies that come with connecting flights on commercial aviation.

Over the years, aircraft ownership in Africa and managing hiring crew have proven daunting due to the challenge of maintenance. Using VistaJet is the perfect alternative to aircraft ownership as it removes the inconvenience and hassle and provides a consistent cabin experience on every flight. VistaJet leads the industry in pioneering and adopting the most advanced technologies in business aviation, from industry leading flight operations software to VistaJet pilots training twice a year in state-of-the-art simulators and undergoing additional annual safety courses, VistaJet also has a dedicated safety department with a comprehensive Safety Management System (SMS) in place to identify, assess, and mitigate risk for a safe operation and working environments for all VistaJet clients and employees. VistaJet’s proactive approach towards safety for its twenty years in operation prepares it to face the requirements for worldwide flight needs.