African airlines expand cargo capacity by 14% as demand surges in August

African airlines expanded their air cargo capacity by 14% year-on-year in August 2026, significantly outpacing the 3% growth in cargo demand across the region.

This is according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which released its global air cargo market data for August 2026.

The figures show that Africa recorded the highest cargo capacity growth among the regions tracked by IATA, while global air cargo demand also increased despite higher fuel costs.

Africa leads air cargo capacity growth

The 14% increase in cargo capacity made Africa the region with the highest capacity growth among the markets tracked by IATA in August.

However, the increase in capacity was accompanied by a more modest 3% rise in cargo demand, meaning available capacity across African airlines expanded significantly faster than the volume of air freight being transported.

• “African airlines saw a 3.0% year-on-year increase in demand for air cargo in August. Capacity increased by 14.0% year-on-year,” the report read in part.
• North American airlines recorded the strongest demand growth at 6.6%, while their capacity declined by 2.5%.
• Latin American and Caribbean carriers recorded 5.1% growth in demand and 3.3% growth in capacity.
• Asia-Pacific airlines recorded 4.3% growth in demand, while capacity increased by 1.2%.
• European carriers recorded a 4.1% increase in demand, while capacity declined by 3.5%. Middle Eastern carriers recorded the weakest demand growth among the regions, at 1%, while capacity increased by 3.3%.

Global cargo demand rises despite fuel costs

Total global air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), increased by 4.4% compared with August 2025, while international demand rose by 5.3%.

• Global capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTK), declined by 0.1% year-on-year, although international capacity increased marginally by 0.1%.
• IATA said stronger demand and higher load factors helped airlines recover some of the impact of exceptionally high fuel costs.
• Global trade increased by 6% year-on-year in July, extending the run of consecutive monthly expansions to 33 months.
• Jet fuel prices rose by 8.3% month-on-month in August and were 79.2% higher than a year earlier.

The Global Manufacturing Output Purchasing Managers’ Index rose by 0.3 points to 53.0, while the New Export Orders Index increased by 1.4 points to 51.4.

• “Air cargo demand rose 4.4% year-on-year in August with all regions reporting growth even as capacity was trimmed by 0.1%. Strong demand and higher load factors helped airlines to recoup some of the exceptionally high fuel costs.
• “Yields rose month-on-month for the first time since April, while global goods trade growth continues. Both are positive signs as the year-end peak season comes into view,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist.

Africa’s air cargo demand remains uneven

African airlines recorded 1.1% year-on-year growth in air cargo demand in July 2026, while available cargo capacity increased by 4.1%, according to IATA’s previous monthly report.

• In June, African airlines were the only carriers globally to record a decline in air cargo capacity, with available cargo space falling 7.1% year-on-year despite a 4.7% increase in freight demand.
• Cargo demand increased by 13.3% in May, while capacity rose by 1.3%.
• In April, demand increased by 7.7% despite a 9.4% decline in capacity.
• In March, demand increased by 7%, even as global air cargo demand fell by 4.8%.
• In February, cargo demand surged 21%, supported by a 61.9% increase in the Africa-Asia trade corridor.

The Africa-Asia corridor subsequently recorded an 11.9% year-on-year contraction in August, marking its third consecutive month of decline. The trade lane accounted for 1.3% of industry market share.

Nigeria’s air cargo market shows growth potential

Nigeria’s air freight market is benefiting from some of the same trends supporting cargo activity across Africa, particularly the expansion of e-commerce and cross-border trade among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

• Aramex Nigeria Managing Director Faisal Jarmakani estimated Nigeria’s air freight logistics market at more than $8 billion, citing time-sensitive shipments, diaspora-driven exports and growing business-to-business and consumer-to-consumer trade as key demand drivers.
• Lagos remains Nigeria’s primary cargo hub, while Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano serve as major domestic cargo gateways.
• Jarmakani identified airport cargo processing delays, high handling charges, limited technology integration across regulatory agencies and last-mile delivery challenges as constraints on the market.

He said greater digitisation of airport operations, lower logistics costs and improved warehousing infrastructure could help Nigeria capture more of the opportunities created by the growth in African air cargo.