The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has projected that Africa’s aviation sector will grow by 4.1% annually over the next two decades, with the market expected to double in size by 2044.
This forecast was disclosed by Somas Appavou, IATA’s Regional Director for External Affairs in Africa, in a press release published on the association’s website on Wednesday.
IATA stated that the continent’s aviation industry already contributes $75 billion to GDP and supports 8.1 million jobs, describing it as a vital engine of economic and social development.
“Africa’s aviation sector is a vital economic driver, contributing USD 75 billion to GDP and supporting 8.1 million jobs. The continent’s aviation market is projected to grow at 4.1% over the next 20 years, doubling by 2044,” Appavou stated.
IATA emphasized that the forecast growth for Africa’s aviation sector can only be achieved if governments create a stronger policy framework that encourages investment and supports connectivity. This, the association noted, means focusing on the fundamental issues that hold the industry back rather than viewing aviation as a source of revenue through excessive levies and restrictions.
The press release highlighted three areas where urgent action is needed. The first is aviation safety. IATA called on African states to close long‑standing gaps by fully implementing International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices.
While safety performance on the continent has improved over the years, Africa still lags behind global benchmarks. The association pointed out that effective implementation of ICAO standards averages 59.49% across Sub‑Saharan Africa, compared to 69.16% globally, leaving room for improvement in regulatory oversight and accident investigation.
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The second priority, IATA noted, is the high cost of air travel. Taxes and charges imposed on airlines and passengers across Africa are about 15% higher than the global average.
IATA warned that these costs discourage passenger demand and put a brake on the wider economic benefits of aviation, which include the movement of goods, tourism, and job creation. The association said a better approach is to work with industry players on efficient, scalable infrastructure that encourages traffic growth instead of suppressing it with heavy fees.
- The third area concerns blocked airline revenues. IATA revealed that as of May 2025, $1 billion in airline earnings is trapped in 26 African countries, representing 73% of all blocked airline funds globally. Airlines, it explained, are often forced to respond to these restrictions by cutting flight frequencies or suspending routes entirely, a development that undermines connectivity, trade, and investment flows.
Beyond these structural issues, IATA also called on African governments to support the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) as the primary global framework for managing aviation’s carbon emissions.
Fragmented regional taxes or separate emissions schemes, the association warned, could create inefficiencies and increase costs, ultimately harming growth.
As of 2025, 129 countries, including 20 from Africa, are already participating in CORSIA, which is in its initial voluntary reporting phase and will become mandatory in 2027.
