By Samuel Ssenono
The International Air Transport Association has issued a pointed message to African governments: treat aviation as core infrastructure, not a luxury.
Speaking at the IATA Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, framed the sector as a long-term driver of economic growth rather than a quick source of tax revenue.
“Aviation is economic infrastructure for Africa,” Alawadhi said, arguing that the real returns come through jobs, trade, tourism, and deeper regional integration—not short-term charges on travelers.
Safety gains, but gaps remain
Africa’s aviation safety record is improving, but the gap with the rest of the world remains wide. The accident rate dropped from 12.13 to 7.86 per million sectors between 2024 and 2025, a notable improvement, yet still far above the global average of 1.32.
IATA is pushing for stronger implementation of International Civil Aviation Organization standards, noting that Sub-Saharan Africa sits at just over 60% compliance—well below the global target of 75%.
Accident reporting is another weak link. Between 2019 and 2023, only 19% of reports were completed, compared to a global average of 63%. Delayed or unpublished findings, the group says, are costing the industry valuable lessons that could prevent future incidents.
There is also a renewed call to expand the use of global safety audit programmes, including IOSA, ISSA and ISAGO, to bring more consistency to operational oversight.
High costs weighing on growth
Airlines operating in Africa continue to face some of the highest costs globally, driven largely by taxes and charges that exceed international averages by about 15%.
IATA singled out passenger data charges as a growing concern. In Tanzania, the API-PNR fee has reached $45 one way—the highest in the world—while countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congoare also above global norms.
The concern is that such charges distort ticket prices and ultimately reduce connectivity across the continent.
At the same time, IATA is urging governments to follow through on a December 2025 decision by Economic Community of West African States to cut aviation taxes and reduce certain charges by 25%.
Blocked funds and business barriers
Beyond costs, airlines are still struggling to access revenues earned in several African markets.
As of March 2026, about $774 million in airline funds remained blocked across the continent. Algeria accounts for the largest share at $258 million, followed by countries in the XAF zone, Mozambique, Eritrea and Angola.
IATA says failure to allow airlines to repatriate earnings—despite existing agreements—risks undermining connectivity as carriers reassess routes in affected markets.
Visa policies are another drag. Nearly half of intra-African travel still requires pre-departure visas, limiting the flow of people and dampening tourism potential. Where restrictions have been eased, IATA notes, traffic and route performance have improved.
A sustainability opportunity
While challenges persist, IATA sees a major opportunity for Africa in aviation’s energy transition.
Under the global carbon offsetting scheme CORSIA, the continent could generate up to 57.6 million eligible emission units, creating a new stream of climate finance.
So far, only a handful of countries—including Rwanda, Malawi and Madagascar—have taken initial steps to participate.
At the same time, Africa is being positioned as a future hub for Sustainable Aviation Fuel production. With abundant agricultural residue, forestry waste and other feedstocks, Sub-Saharan Africa could supply up to 106 million tonnes by 2050.
The challenge, IATA says, is turning that potential into reality through stable policies and investment in processing infrastructure
