Africa Weekly Aviation Trails: Week 15, 2025.

Introduction.

On April 7, 2025, Algeria and Mali escalated their diplomatic conflict by implementing reciprocal bans on flights to and from each other’s airspace. This action follows the April 1 incident, where Algerian forces shot down a Malian military drone near Tinzaouaten, close to their shared border. Algeria claimed the drone had violated its airspace, while Mali denied the accusation, asserting the wreckage was found within its territory. In response to the downing, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger recalled their ambassadors from Algiers. Despite the standoff, the airspace bans have had minimal impact on commercial aviation, as no scheduled flights were operating between the two countries before the suspension.

AOCs/ASLs/Operations.

VivaJets Private Jet Charter, a Lagos-based aviation company, has reached a significant milestone by securing an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). This certification grants VivaJets the official authority to operate commercial air transport services, marking a major step forward in the company’s evolution from a private jet broker to a fully licensed operator within Nigeria’s rapidly growing business aviation sector.

The Ghanaian government has announced a new partnership with World Aviation Group (WAG) to establish a national airline, a renewed effort to create a sustainable and modern carrier headquartered in Accra. This collaboration aims to develop a fleet of advanced aircraft and build a robust international presence for the airline. WAG brings significant expertise in airline startups and airport development, adding credibility to the venture. The airline plans to operate key high-demand routes, including Accra-Lagos, Accra-London, and Accra-Dubai, with projections to serve over 670,000 annual passengers.