IATA Urges African Governments to Prioritize Aviation for Economic Growth

Accra: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged African governments to prioritize aviation as a key driver of economic and social development. The association highlighted those high costs, regulatory barriers, and safety issues are hindering the industry's potential across the continent. According to Ghana Web, Kamil Alawadhi, IATA's Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, emphasized the importance of aviation at the Focus Africa Conference. He stated, "Aviation is economic infrastructure for Africa. Its value lies in the long-term benefits it delivers. A strategy focused on safety, cost-competitiveness, energy security, sustainability, and ease of doing business will create jobs, enable trade, support tourism, and strengthen regional integration." Africa's aviation safety record has shown improvements, with accident rates dropping from 12.13 to 7.86 per million sectors between 2024 and 2025. However, these figures are still significantly higher than the global average of 1.32. IATA urged governments to expedite the implementation of ICAO standards, ensure consistent publication of accident reports, and expand the use of global safety audits such as IOSA and ISAGO. The cost of aviation in Africa remains approximately 15% higher than the global average, primarily due to government taxes and charges. Tanzania's USD 45 API-PNR fee, the highest globally, was highlighted as a significant distortion to ticket pricing. IATA also called for the full implementation of the ECOWAS decision to reduce aviation taxes by 25% by December 2025 and opposed proposals for source-based airline taxation due to the risk of double taxation. African countries hold the largest share of blocked airline revenues worldwide, with USD 774 million trapped as of March 2026, with Algeria alone accounting for USD 258 million. IATA criticized governments for not honoring repatriation agreements, warning that connectivity could be adversely affected. IATA also advocated for easing visa requirements, noting tha t nearly half of intra-African travel still necessitates visas, which suppresses tourism and regional mobility. The association further highlighted Africa's potential in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production. Sub-Saharan Africa could supply up to 106 million tonnes of feedstock by 2050, primarily from agricultural and forestry waste. Additionally, the continent could generate 57.6 million Eligible Emission Units (EEUs) under the global CORSIA scheme, creating a new source of climate finance.