Introduction

Business aviation has been defined as that part of general aviation that focuses on the business use of aircraft. This excludes regular scheduled airlines and military operations. The raison d'être of business aviation is "the need for fast, flexible, safe, secure and cost-effective access to destinations across the country and around the world". Perhaps, one of the major drivers of business aviation in Africa is, or ought to be flexibility. Business aviation in Africa has continued to grow even though figures may not readily available. However, the African air transport industry is poised for growth of averagely 5.5% in the years to come and many believe this growth should also be felt on the business aviation side of the industry in the same proportion, if not more. While there are many factors expected to drive the growth of business aviation in Africa, there exists a number of challenges the sub-sector must wriggle itself out of in order to bring its immense benefits to communities and organizations in Africa.

Drivers Of Business Aviation In Africa

Many have posited that of all the continents in the world, perhaps Africa more than any other, requires a well developed business aviation sub-sector. In most parts of the continent, the parlous state of access roads in many countries creates peculiar difficulties as commuters try to reach several communities wide apart. The rail system is asleep and snoring. Other drivers of business aviation include the growing tourism industry in several parts of the continent, lack of medical facilities even in many urban centres in Africa and the need for medevac to patronize hospitals in Europe and elsewhere. Often health campaigns require outreaches to far removed communities in the continent and within countries. A largely primary production-based economy, Africa has been assisted by business aviation in agriculture and mining, besides other interests such as aerial mapping, crowd control and crime prevention and even movements on religious missions. Poor connectivity and lack of cooperation amongst African airlines have combined to ensure that there are no direct flights by any airlines to very many city pairs on the continent. For instance, as close as these countries are, there are no commercial flights between Nigeria and Niger Republic; between Nigeria and Chad or between Nigeria and Burkina Faso.

Furthermore, lack of integration within the continent has severely limited economic activities among African countries which often implies that most city pairs in the continent are bereft of daily flights. Africa is building a class of entrepreneurs who are investing across Africa and increasing mobility. Presently, many South African businesses are setting up in West Africa and elsewhere and East and Southern Africa. Recently, Nigerian banks are sprinkled along the West Coast while the Ethiopian Prime Minister celebrated the investment in Ethiopia by some Nigerian businesses recently. The poor safety record, real or perceived, and poor schedule integrity of airlines in Africa give further boost to the choice of business aviation especially by those who can afford the higher cost of business aviation but ill-afford the lack of urgency or immediacy of regular airline schedules. People opine then, and correctly, too, that the industry ought to have grown in leaps and bounds, and that Africa should be one of the leading continents in the application of business aviation. According to the CEO of Execujets, Mr. Ettore Poggi, safety is a major determining factor in the growth and development of business aviation in Africa.

Constraints To Growth Of Business Aviation

General economic activities in a country determine the growth rate of business aviation therein. However, in the midst of such huge potential uses for business aviation in Africa lie several limiting factors top of which is the low level of economic activity in many of Africa's states. Though African economies have continued to grow and outperform world average, the difficulty of getting approvals and doing business continue to be a cog in the wheel of attracting foreign investments. Corruption remains a stumbling block also, while even oft reported GDP growth has not translated to economic empower-ment for the majority of Africa's population.

Political Instability

This continues as a recurring decimal in Africa's geo-politics and makes many a business executive avoid travelling to Africa in order not to be caught in its web of political uncertainly and whirlwind. From Cote d'Ivoire in the West to Somalia in the East, and from Cairo, Tunisia and Tripoli in the North to Congo DRC in the South, Africa has refused to shed its toga of a perennial conflict region.

Administrative And Regulatory Bottlenecks

Where political and economic situations do allow business aviation to thrive, administrative delays by Civil Aviation Authorities in Africa in processing of flight permits are a major threat to developing African business aviation market. A source at one of the leading fixed based operators in Africa notes that on average CAAs in Africa require 72 hours to process permits. Business aviation is based on speed and flexibility and a 3-day period to process a permit for a business trip does harm to business aviation.

Others

Additionally, safety and security issues have been known to affect the growth of business aviation in Africa.

Uncertainties in fuel availability especially avgas, and cost of acquiring business aircraft and running a business aviation unit contribute further to limitations on business aviation.

These challenges are further exacerbated by poor air traffic and airport infrastructure.

Conclusion

The role of business aviation in Africa's economy will grow in the coming years as GDP and other parameters improve. Africa's need for business aviation is expected to increase correspondingly as long as Africa's resources keep attracting investments from other continents.

What is needed is to speed up the process of its evolution and thereby releasing its innate energies to contribute to employment and general economic well being of the continent. To do this, however, governments in Africa need to create an environment not only favourable to free enterprise but also able to protect investments and secure lives of persons within their borders.

Having said this, the future is definitely bright for business aviation in Africa.