The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on African governments to prioritise aviation as a cornerstone of long-term economic growth, warning that the sector’s full potential remains constrained by high costs, regulatory inefficiencies and infrastructure gaps.
Speaking at the Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi, said aviation should be viewed as critical economic infrastructure rather than a source of short-term tax revenue.
“Aviation is economic infrastructure for Africa. Its value lies in the long-term benefits it delivers, from job creation to enabling trade and tourism,” he said.
Four-pillar strategy
IATA outlined a four-pillar strategy for the continent, focusing on safety, cost-competitiveness, ease of doing business, and sustainability.
On safety, Africa has made progress, with the accident rate improving from 12.13 to 7.86 per million sectors between 2024 and 2025. However, this remains significantly higher than the global average of 1.32. IATA urged stronger adoption of global safety standards, faster publication of accident reports, and wider use of international safety audits to close the gap.
Cost remains a major barrier to growth. According to IATA, aviation-related charges in Africa are about 15% higher than the global average, driven largely by taxes and fees imposed by governments and service providers. The organisation criticised excessive passenger data charges in countries such as Tanzania and Nigeria, warning that these inflate ticket prices and weaken regional connectivity.
Call for lower aviation taxes, charges
IATA also called for the implementation of a December 2025 ECOWAS decision to reduce aviation taxes and charges, saying this could unlock significant economic benefits if applied consistently across member states.
Ease of doing business is another concern, particularly the issue of blocked airline funds. As of March 2026, African countries accounted for $774 million in trapped airline revenues, with Algeria alone holding $258 million. IATA warned that failure to allow airlines to repatriate earnings could damage connectivity and investor confidence.
Visa restrictions were also flagged, with nearly half of intra-African travel still requiring pre-departure visas, limiting tourism and trade.
On sustainability, IATA highlighted Africa’s potential to become a major producer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which could strengthen energy security while creating jobs. The body also encouraged governments to support global carbon reduction frameworks such as CORSIA.
IATA said a coordinated aviation strategy could unlock significant economic growth across the continent, positioning Africa as a competitive player in the global aviation and tourism economy.
- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on African governments to prioritise aviation as a cornerstone of long-term economic growth, warning that the sector’s full potential remains constrained by high costs, regulatory inefficiencies and infrastructure gaps.
- Speaking at the Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi, said aviation should be viewed as critical economic infrastructure rather than a source of short-term tax revenue.
- “Aviation is economic infrastructure for Africa.
- Its value lies in the long-term benefits it delivers, from job creation to enabling trade and tourism,” he said.
- Four-pillar strategy IATA outlined a four-pillar strategy for the continent, focusing on safety, cost-competitiveness, ease of doing business, and sustainability.
