The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has ushered in a new era of African aviation with the full operational deployment of Free Route Airspace (FRA) in the Western and Central Africa (WACAF) region, effective October 30, 2025.
Free Route Airspace (FRA) is a modern airspace design that allows airlines to plan more direct flight paths between entry/exit points, bypassing traditional fixed airways for greater efficiency, fuel savings, and reduced emissions by using User Preferred Routes (UPRs) and intermediate waypoints.
However, flights remain under Air Traffic Control (ATC) guidance. It removes fixed route networks, replacing them with published/unpublished points, leading to shorter flights and less congestion, with major implementations across Europe and Africa.
This landmark achievement, following successful trials initiated in November 2023, will allow any airline to plan and operate more direct User Preferred Routes (UPRs), significantly enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of air travel across the continent. UPRs allow airlines to fly the most fuel-efficient, timely paths based on current conditions, rather than following fixed, conventional routes, giving pilots more flexibility to adjust to factors like weather and winds, leading to reduced fuel consumption, shorter flight times, and lower carbon emissions.
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has supported the FRA initiative since the trials began in 2023, in accordance with its Memorandum of Understanding with AFRAA and with the Global Air Navigation Plan of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, as well as the conclusions of the Africa-India (AFI) FRA Planning and Implementation Regional Group.
The deployment of the FRA represents a decisive step resulting from a collaborative effort between air operators and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) who reached a consensus at a joint workshop in Dakar, Senegal, to conclude the trial phase and move to full implementation.
“The implementation of Free Route Airspace in the WACAF region is a game-changer for African aviation,” said Mr Abdérahmane Berthé, AFRAA Secretary General. “This is a testament to what we can achieve through collaboration. By cutting flight times and fuel consumption, we are not only boosting the competitiveness and profitability of our airlines but also making a significant commitment to environmental sustainability.
“We extend our profound gratitude to Afreximbank and all stake holders who have journeyed with us for their unwavering commitment to this vision: the Western and Central African Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), Agence pour la Sécurité de la Navigation Aérienne en Afrique et à Madagascar (ASECNA), Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Régie des Voies Aériennes (RVA), Roberts Flight Information Region (Roberts FIR), The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO.”
While commenting on the FRA initiative, Mrs Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said, “Efficient, safe, and well-regulated air services are critical to facilitating intra-African trade, tourism and connectivity in line with the objectives of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
