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More than 300 leaders from the aviation, tourism, finance, and investment sectors across Africa and beyond will gather in Lagos from 2 to 4 September for AeroWest 2026, a landmark summit targeting air connectivity challenges in West and Central Africa.
Organised by the West Africa Tourism Organisation (WATO) and Jet Afrique Aviation Services—in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development—the summit is themed “Financing Connectivity: Unlocking Aviation & Tourism Growth in West & Central Africa”.
The event addresses critical structural bottlenecks in the region, including high travel costs, limited access to aircraft financing, infrastructure deficits, foreign exchange constraints, and fragmented regional markets.
WATO Chief Executive Officer Ola Wright emphasised that strong air connectivity must be treated as a strategic economic lever rather than merely an operational goal, noting that the region’s vast tourism assets remain underutilised due to poor transport links.
A major highlight of AeroWest 2026 will be the launch of the Caribbean–West Africa Tourism Corridor, featuring a dedicated session titled “Culture & Heritage: The Barbados–West Africa Link”. This initiative explores how shared historical ties can be transformed into active commercial and tourism pipelines through joint travel itineraries, heritage travel, and direct air routes.
Former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo will deliver the keynote address and formally open the summit. Participating institutions include the Central Bank of Nigeria, the National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone, Mali Tourisme, Guinea-Bissau Tourism, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., various state tourism boards, commercial airlines, and international development finance bodies.
Jet Afrique CEO Theodore Chikelu stressed that solving regional connectivity requires a unified financial and policy framework uniting airlines, investors, and state regulators. The summit will also evaluate how the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can streamline cross-border travel, trade, and capital flows.
