The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has intensified its advocacy for African governments to integrate aviation as a pillar of their national economic strategies. Meanwhile, the clearing house for more than 300 global airlines has lamented the cost of doing business in aviation in Africa is high.

Removing roadblocks to ease doing business, it noted, is essential for aviation to thrive. A key element of this is the taxes and charges by governments and infrastructure providers, the burden of which is about 15 per cent higher in Africa than the global average.

To unlock the full potential of African aviation, the group identified several priority areas requiring urgent government intervention, including the implementation of the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM), which remains the cornerstone of regional connectivity. IATA urges states to move beyond signatures and focus on practical implementation to eliminate restrictive bilateral agreements.

Other priorities include reducing high airport taxes, fees, and charges, which it said are among the highest globally; maintaining global safety standards through the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA); and aligning national regulations with ICAO standards, which are essential for building international investor confidence.

It urged governments to view airports as economic engines rather than revenue cows. IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi, at Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said: “Aviation is economic infrastructure for Africa. Its value lies in the long‑term benefits it delivers.”

“An aviation strategy focused on safety, cost-competitiveness, energy security/ sustainability, and ease of doing business will create jobs, enable trade, support tourism, and further regional integration.”

“The prosperity this generates will allow governments to push forward social and economic development more durably than any tax that might be collected from travellers.”