The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts the African aviation sector to increase by 4.1% per year over the next 20 years, with the market expected to double in size by 2044.
The forecast was disclosed by Somas Appavou, Africa's Regional Director of Foreign Affairs for the IATA in a press release posted on the association's website on Wednesday.
The IATA said the continent's aviation industry has already donated $75 billion to GDP, supporting 8.1 million jobs, describing it as an important engine of economic and social development.
“The African aviation sector is a key economic driver that contributes US$75 billion to GDP and supports 8.1 million jobs. The continental aviation market will grow at 4.1% over the next 20 years, and is projected to double in 2044,” Appavou said.
The IATA emphasized that forecast growth in the African aviation sector can only be achieved if the government has developed a stronger policy framework that encourages investment and supports connectivity. This means that what the association is pointing out is that rather than viewing aviation as a source of revenue through excessive taxation and restrictions, it focuses on the fundamental issues that hinder the industry.
The press release highlighted three areas where urgent action is needed. The first is aviation safety. The IATA called on African countries to bridge the long-standing gap by fully implementing international Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and recommended practices.
Although safety performance on the continent has improved over the years, Africa remains behind global benchmarks. The association noted that effective implementation of ICAO standards averages 59.49% versus 69.16% worldwide, providing room for improved regulatory oversight and accident investigations.
More insights
The second priority is the high cost of air travel. Taxes and bills levied on African airlines and passengers are about 15% higher than the global average.
Iata warned that these costs will thwart passenger demand and put a brake on aviation's broader economic benefits, including commodity, tourism and job-creating movement. The association said a better approach is to work with industry players on efficient and scalable infrastructure to promote transportation growth rather than to promote transportation growth.
The third area concerns blocking airline revenues. As of May 2025, the IATA revealed that $1 billion in airline revenue was trapped in 26 African countries, accounting for 73% of all blocked airline funds worldwide. Airlines are often forced to respond to these restrictions by reducing flight frequency or halting routes entirely, developments that undermine connectivity, trade and investment flows.
Beyond these structural issues, the IATA called on the African government to support the International Airlines (Corsia) carbon offsetting and reducing scheme as the main global framework for managing aviation's carbon emissions.
It warned that fragmented local taxes or individual emissions schemes could create inefficiencies, increase costs and ultimately harm growth.
As of 2025, 129 countries have already joined Corsia, including 20 people from Africa, which is in its first voluntary reporting phase and will become mandatory in 2027.
