Falcon Aerospace, parent of executive jet charter and aircraft management firm Viva Jets (Lagos), has secured a USD15 million credit facility to fund its new operations hub at Abidjan, investment in local maintenance infrastructure, and expansion of corporate aviation services across Francophone West Africa.
The funding is backed by London-based private investment firm TLG Capital, Premium Trust Bank, and Access Bank UK.
In a statement, Falcon Aerospace said that, together with Ivory Coast's overall economic growth, Abidjan's role as a regional business centre is driving demand for direct connections not currently offered by commercial airlines.
With the new Abidjan base, Falcon Aerospace aims to provide corporate charter and aircraft management services across the country and connect neighbouring markets, including Dakar, Bamako, Conakry, Lomé, and Cotonou, with the goal of replacing indirect routings through Paris with direct regional connectivity.
Additionally, Falcon Aerospace is targeting the development of local aviation maintenance capacity, arguing that West and Central Africa have more than 30 commercial operators but limited heavy maintenance capability, with most maintenance spending flowing abroad.
The deal follows a further USD10 million financing facility secured by Falcon Aerospace in late 2025, backed by TLG Capital in partnership with Nigeria's Wema Bank.
Falcon Aerospace's charter and aircraft management division, VivaJets, holds a Nigerian air operator's certificate (AOC) and operates a fleet of two Challenger 604s, one added in early 2026, a Hawker 850XP inducted in November, and a Hawker 900XP. In late 2025, Falcon Aero chief executive Erika Achum said it expected VivaJets' fleet to “significantly increase” by the third quarter of 2026.
