Kenya’s first budget airline has started flights into the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city Goma.

Jambojet says it’s looking to tap into a projected lift in demand for air travel in Africa.

The carrier expects the continent to become one of the fastest growing regions for aviation in the world within the next two decades – with average annual expansion of nearly 5%.

Chief executive Karanja Ndewgwa says they’re in a strong position to take advantage.

“So, basically for now, we are the biggest low-cost carrier in the region. So, for us the market is quite big, and we will grow and serve the market and grow within the region to a point of even setting up hubs within the region. Currently, we are setting up our second hub in Mombasa, Nairobi is our main hub, our second hub is Mombasa and who knows what Goma brings.”

Jambojet will fly into Goma, the capital of the restive North Kivu province, twice a week from Nairobi.

The airline was launched in 2014 and is owned by national carrier Kenya Airways.

It embarked on an expansion drive three years ago aiming to double its annual number of passengers.

But some of those plans were delayed by the global health crisis.

And it’s not alone in now expanding into DRC.

Kenya’s biggest banks, KCB and Equity, have also been moving into the relatively untapped market.