IATA’s Kamil Al-Awadhi addresses delegates at Aviation Africa.
KIGALI, Rwanda—Africa is home to one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets. Still, governments on the continent are stymying its potential, according to a senior International Air Transport Association (IATA) official.
Fragmentation, high costs, and underdeveloped infrastructure are constraining the market, Kamil Al-Awadhi, IATA regional VP for Africa and the Middle East, said Sept. 4 at the Aviation Africa 2025 summit here.
“Aviation decisions matter. Whether it's visa policy, airport investment or regulatory reform, the choices made today will shape the future of aviation in Africa. If I was allowed to open up an airline in Africa right now, I wouldn't. It's complicated, complex and costly,” Al-Awadhi said.
“The primary reason is the governments in Africa are very disconnected from the aviation industry, except when they want to ask for money, add charges or fees,” he continued. “That's the only time you see the government involved. The charges that I've seen in Africa today are sometimes 20 times more expensive than any other country. This misconception that aviation is ready to be milked just to make money is the reason why a lot of airlines are suffering in Africa today.”
Al-Awadhi echoed the sentiment of other speakers that governments need to understand aviation before they start hiking prices. “What's worse, between 60-70% of every ticket in Africa goes towards taxes, charges and levies,” he said. “However, airlines have been advocating against this for the last four years, and they cannot do it alone. It needs the engagement of the governments, who need to understand the impact that this has on their decisions.”
He said a quick, “Let's make some money,” approach to introducing new taxes this year will actually damage the aviation industry in countries down the road. The other issue is that when African governments do impose the charges, they are not reinvesting the funds in their aviation infrastructure and industry.
Citing Africa’s charges as higher than anywhere else in the world and its runways, airports, and air navigation services as among the worst in the world, he called on governments to engage with the aviation industry and support economic growth across the continent.
Related Content
