Chief Executive Officer, VivaJets, Chukwuerika Achum, has called for unified aviation reform in Africa’s aviation ecosystem, urging governments, regulators, and financial institutions to address deep-rooted operational barriers that continue to stifle the industry’s growth and competitiveness.
Speaking during a session at the Africa Financial Summit (AFIS 2025), Achum outlined the structural challenges that have long slowed down aviation operations across the continent, from complex regulations and visa restrictions to low trust among African businesses and high insurance premiums.
“The trust currency is very low in Africa,” Achum said. “When we operate across the continent, vendors want cash upfront, while European operators get 30-day credit terms. That imbalance tells you everything about how we trust, or don’t trust ourselves.”
Achum remarked that despite international aviation standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), African airline crews still face unnecessary visa restrictions that hinder efficiency.
“Annex 9 of ICAO grants facilitation for airline crews, yet our Nigerian crews still need visas to enter some African countries like Morocco. There’s no clear explanation why an African crew needs a visa to access another African nation”, he said.
He also highlighted the inconsistent regulatory processes, including landing and overflight permits, that delayed operations and add avoidable costs.
“To fly from Lagos to Addis Ababa, you must apply for a landing permit that can take up to 72 hours to process. No one can clearly explain the approval criteria,” he said.
According to him, another pressing issue is the cost of insurance and reinsurance saying “In Nigeria, local regulations require that Nigerian assets be insured domestically. Yet reinsurers in London still charge an extra premium for African-based aircraft,” he explained. That adds a layer of cost and puts African operators at a disadvantage compared to Western companies.”
Noting the currency-conversion challenges that raise operating expenses, Achum said “Operating in Africa means paying twice for every transaction, once to convert to U.S. dollars and again to convert into local currencies. Paper agreements like PAPS don’t yet solve this reality.”
Achum, however, expressed optimism about the continent’s potential,  acknowledging improvements in navigation technology and regional cooperation but stressed that meaningful progress will depend on policy harmonisation, financial trust, and regional collaboration.