What's Happening?
Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), has called for accelerated efforts to complete the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) during the Aviation Africa 2025 Summit in Kigali. SAATM aims to liberalize air transport across Africa, removing capacity and frequency restrictions on intra-African routes and granting fifth freedoms on priority corridors. Adeyemi emphasized the need for African governments to implement laws that would treat intra-African routes as domestic services, reducing costs for airlines and travelers. As of 2025, 38 of the 55 African Union states have committed to SAATM, representing 90% of intra-African traffic.
Why It's Important?
The full implementation of SAATM could significantly enhance connectivity within Africa, reducing reliance on non-African hubs and boosting trade and tourism. By liberalizing the air transport market, Africa can mirror the successful experiences of Europe, North America, and ASEAN, potentially creating thousands of jobs in aviation and tourism. The initiative is expected to increase intra-African traffic by 51% and bring an additional 15.9 million passengers, fostering economic growth and integration across the continent.
What's Next?
AFCAC aims to achieve 'intra-African domestication' by the end of 2026, encouraging more African states to enshrine SAATM principles in national law. The organization projects that full implementation could create 96,000 jobs in aviation and 268,000 in tourism, while increasing trade within the continent by 1.1%. Continued efforts to launch new routes and reduce airfares will be crucial for advancing market liberalization and enhancing connectivity.
