Greater than twenty years after African nations agreed to liberalise air journey, the continent's skies stay among the many least related on the planet.
Regardless of repeated commitments to create a single aviation market, passengers nonetheless face costly airfares, restricted direct flights and lengthy journey routes that always require connecting by means of locations exterior Africa.
The imaginative and prescient dates again to 1999, when African states adopted the Yamoussoukro Resolution, an settlement aimed toward opening air routes, rising competitors and reducing ticket costs. Though it grew to become legally binding in 2002, implementation has been gradual and uneven.
To speed up progress, the African Union launched the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) in 2018 beneath Agenda 2063. Whereas extra nations have since signed on and a few new intra-African routes have emerged, consultants say the continent stays removed from attaining a very liberalised aviation market.
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The problem was excessive on the agenda at the African Air Transport Conference and Expo 2026 in Lome, Togo, the place policymakers, regulators and trade leaders agreed that Africa can not unlock its financial potential whereas its aviation sector stays fragmented by nationwide restrictions, excessive working prices and inconsistent rules.
On the assembly, African ministers adopted the Lomé Declaration and Implementation Matrix, reaffirming their dedication to implementing each the Yamoussoukro Resolution and SAATM to advertise reasonably priced, related and sustainable air transport throughout the continent.
In addition they launched the AFCAC Solidarity Dedication 2026-2028, an initiative designed to mobilise monetary assets, technical help and capability constructing to hurry up SAATM implementation.
The financial case for liberalisation is compelling. In response to the Worldwide Air Transport Affiliation (IATA), opening air transport markets amongst simply 12 key African nations might create an estimated 155,000 new jobs and generate $1.3 billion in annual GDP.
But consultants say political will, not aviation itself, stays the most important hurdle.
Derek Nseko, an aviation professional, stated governments proceed to prioritise defending nationwide airways over opening markets to larger competitors.
“There are fears about competitors, particularly in nations which have nationwide airways. Many governments are reluctant to open their markets as a result of their airways are closely supported by the state and usually are not all the time commercially viable,” he stated.
He stated paperwork and restricted political coordination have considerably slowed implementation of SAATM.
Nseko famous that profitable liberalisation will depend on nations granting fifth freedom site visitors rights, which permit airways to hold passengers between two international nations as a part of a flight originating from or ending of their residence nation.
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For instance, he pointed to Morocco, which signed an open-skies settlement with Europe.
“Low-cost airways equivalent to Ryanair and EasyJet function a number of routes there, making air journey extra accessible and reasonably priced.”
Moderately than making an attempt to combine all 54 African nations concurrently, Nseko believes regional financial blocs ought to lead the method.
“We’d like a paradigm shift. Regional blocs such because the East African Group and SADC have already got robust financial and political cooperation. They need to first set up liberalised air transport companies inside their very own areas. As soon as that’s achieved, the regional blocs can work in direction of integrating Africa's aviation market as a complete.”
Maureen Kahonge, Director of Industrial and Communications on the African Airways Affiliation (AFRAA), acknowledged that implementation has been slower than anticipated.
Nonetheless, she famous that progress has been made, with the share of intra-African routes working beneath fifth freedom site visitors rights rising from 14.5 per cent in 2018 to 23 per cent in 2026, whereas 38 African states have now signed as much as SAATM.
“There’s progress, however one of many largest issues from our airways is that even some nations which have signed SAATM are nonetheless denying airways the site visitors rights wanted to function,” she stated.
“Our advocacy is targeted on encouraging these nations to take away these obstacles and totally implement their commitments,” she added.
Kahonge famous that the institution of the Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM) in June 2025 is a breakthrough, describing it because the authorized framework wanted to resolve disputes and strengthen implementation.
“We hope that now that the dispute settlement mechanism is in place, we are going to start to see sooner progress,” she stated.
Nonetheless, she careworn that declarations alone won’t remodel African aviation. “There was loads of dedication from governments, however now we have to transfer past rhetoric to motion.”
“We would like governments to cease treating aviation as a luxurious or just a income. It’s an enabler of financial growth. Lowering taxes and costs will make air journey extra reasonably priced and assist airways maintain new routes.”
She additionally urged governments which have already signed SAATM to totally honour their commitments by granting airways the promised site visitors rights and making it simpler for Africans to journey throughout the continent.
“The nations making journey visa-free for Africans are taking a step in the appropriate course. Free motion of individuals is important as a result of visa restrictions stay one of many largest deterrents to intra-African journey,” she stated.
Kahonge added that increasing commerce amongst African nations would naturally enhance demand for air transport and reinforce the goals of each SAATM and the African Continental Free Commerce Space (AfCFTA).
