African Leaders Chart Path for Aviation Growth at Nairobi Connectivity Forum

NAIROBI, Kenya- As Africa prepares to become the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, policymakers and industry stakeholders are grappling with a key challenge: converting rising passenger demand into sustainable connectivity, stronger competitiveness, and long-term financial stability.

This issue dominated discussions at the two-day Airlines, Capital and Connectivity Forum, held in Nairobi from 25–26 February 2026. The event was organised by the African Development Bank Group in collaboration with the African Airlines Association.

Despite strong demand for air travel, Africa’s aviation sector still faces significant structural hurdles. These include high capital costs, fragmented regulatory frameworks, infrastructure shortages, and limited access to long-term financing.

To address these challenges, the African Development Bank is promoting the Integrated Aviation Transformation Program (IATP)—a continent-wide initiative aimed at modernising the aviation ecosystem while mobilising private, institutional, and concessional funding. The programme is designed to align policy reforms, financing mechanisms, and project implementation under a single investment framework capable of delivering scalable results.

The forum brought together airline executives, government officials, regulators, investors, aircraft manufacturers, and development partners to explore how the IATP can accelerate coordinated progress across the aviation industry. Participants highlighted aviation’s strategic role in boosting regional integration, facilitating trade, supporting tourism, and driving economic diversification.

Opening the forum, Mike Salawou, Director for Infrastructure and Urban Development at the African Development Bank, noted that although Africa’s aviation demand outlook ranks among the strongest globally, investment readiness and supply-side capacity have not kept pace. According to him, the IATP is designed to reduce investment risks, pilot priority projects, and rebuild investor confidence in the sector.

From the industry’s perspective, Abderahmane Berthé, Secretary General of the African Airlines Association, stressed the scale of the opportunity while pointing to the continent’s imbalance in global aviation. Africa accounts for nearly 18% of the world’s population but less than 3% of global air traffic, largely due to regulatory and structural barriers rather than weak demand.

Remarks delivered on behalf of Kenya Airways described Africa as the largest untapped aviation opportunity of the 21st century. Over the next two decades, one in four new air travellers globally is expected to come from Africa, driven by rapid urbanisation, a growing middle class, and a youthful population.

However, profitability remains a challenge. According to projections by the International Air Transport Association, African airlines are expected to achieve net profit margins of only 1–2%, compared with the global average forecast of 3.9% in 2026. High fuel costs, heavy taxation, incomplete air transport liberalisation, and limited hub infrastructure continue to pressure airline finances.

Connectivity within the continent also remains limited. Currently, intra-African travel represents only about 25% of total air traffic, forcing many travellers to transit through hubs outside Africa. Forum participants emphasised that full implementation of the **Single African Air Transport Market initiative is essential to improve direct connectivity across the continent.

A keynote address delivered by Eric Ntagengerwa, Head of Transport and Mobility at the African Union Commission, highlighted aviation reform as crucial for Africa’s economic sovereignty, regional integration, and competitiveness. He noted that the Single African Air Transport Market has been designated as the African Union Theme for the Year 2027.

Throughout the two-day meeting, discussions focused on practical steps to accelerate progress, including improving airline bankability, promoting climate-aligned aviation strategies, strengthening air cargo and logistics networks, building industry skills, and introducing innovative risk-sharing financing mechanisms under the IATP.

Country experiences from Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia demonstrated how continental aviation goals can translate into national policy reforms and investment opportunities.

Samuel Obafemi Bajomo, Senior Adviser to Nigeria’s aviation ministry, emphasised the importance of forward-looking policy frameworks that encourage investment and strengthen connectivity. He said these reforms are vital to positioning aviation as a key driver of trade, tourism, and inclusive economic growth across Africa.

The forum concluded with a strong consensus among participants: Africa’s aviation demand is real and growing rapidly. The challenge now is execution—aligning policies, capital investment, and infrastructure development to ensure aviation becomes a sustainable engine for regional integration and economic growth.