Afrika’s Disconnected Skies: Why and What Should Happen
By Sigyfrid Massawe. Afrikan Accounts desk. Afrikan Identity
Afrika, home to about 1.4 billion people, is the second-largest continent on Earth. Yet some of its statistics across various sectors do not add up when compared with other continents with either large populations, like Asia, or even smaller populations, like Europe.
Take air transport, for example. It is one of the safest, fastest, and most efficient modes of transportation, yet Afrika contributes only about 2% of global air passengers. What makes the situation worse is that travelling between African cities is often far more expensive and time-consuming than travelling to other continents.
For example, a short regional flight between Lagos and Accra, two major West Afrikan cities only about one hour apart, can cost around $196 one way or about $357 round-trip depending on demand and booking time.
Similarly, a flight between Nairobi and Addis Ababa, two major East Afrikan hubs, can cost around $550 for a round trip depending on the airline and booking time.
In some cases, travellers must connect through Europe or the Middle East to reach another African destination. It’s also reported that someone taking Intra-Afrika flights will pay 45% more than flights across the globe. This paradox makes it easier for someone to fly from Afrika to another continent than to travel across Afrika itself.
This is not a new phenomenon, nor is it the first time the issue has been raised. Many Afrikan countries gained independence mainly in the 1960s and later decades, and some may argue that the continent still has time to restructure its transport and regional integration policies. However, this argument becomes difficult to defend when a continent that seeks economic and political integration still struggles to connect its own skies.
Afrika’s aviation challenge is therefore not simply a technical issue. It is deeply connected to governance, poor policy choices, and excessive protectionism within national aviation markets.
Governance Barriers Holding Back Afrikan Aviation
Many airlines in Afrika are state-owned. While this is not necessarily a problem in itself, many of these airlines rely heavily on government subsidies and struggle with limited passenger demand. At the same time, several privately owned airlines operate in small markets with limited support.
Airports and other critical aviation infrastructure across the continent also vary significantly in quality. Some major hubs are modern and expanding, while many others remain underdeveloped. Poverty also plays a role in limiting demand, as fewer Afrikans belong to the middle-income group that typically uses air travel regularly, and Afrika’s population accounts for about 7% of the world’s middle class.
However, the most significant challenge remains governance and policy choices.
Across Afrika, many governments maintain protectionist aviation policies designed to protect national airlines from competition. These policies limit route access, restrict foreign carriers, and create complicated regulatory systems for airlines attempting to operate across borders.
Afrika has 55 countries, each with its own aviation regulations, taxes, airspace policies, and airport fees. For airlines, operating across this patchwork of regulations becomes expensive and complex.
This lack of liberalization discourages competition, which in turn keeps ticket prices high and limits travel options for passengers.
Europe offers an important comparison. The liberalisation of air travel within the European Union allowed low-cost carriers such as Ryanair to expand rapidly across the continent. As a result, travellers can often fly between major European cities for less than €30, something that remains rare in Afrika.
The difference is largely explained by policy. Europe created a single aviation market, while Afrika remains fragmented.
Air Connectivity, Development, and the Future of Regional Integration
Air transport is the fastest way to move people and goods between countries. Efficient aviation networks support trade, tourism, investment, and regional integration.
The European Union demonstrates how strong air connectivity can strengthen economic integration. The African Union has a similar ambition through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to create a single market across the continent.
For AfCFTA to succeed, however, people and goods must be able to move quickly between African countries.
This is particularly important for industries dealing with perishable goods, such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, and fresh fish. Efficient air cargo transport allows these products to reach markets quickly before they spoil.
Tourism is another sector that depends heavily on reliable aviation networks. Destinations across Afrika — from wildlife parks to coastal tourism hubs — require affordable and frequent flights to attract international and regional travellers.
Recognizing this challenge, the African Union launched the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) in 2018. The initiative seeks to liberalize Afrikan aviation markets by allowing airlines to operate more freely across member states and by harmonizing aviation regulations.
SAATM, with 34 member states having signed it, is one of the flagship initiatives under the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which aims to transform Africa into a globally competitive and integrated economy.
However, progress has been slow. Many governments remain hesitant to fully liberalize their aviation markets, fearing competition for their national airlines.
If Afrikan countries commit to genuine aviation reform — by reducing excessive taxes, improving aviation governance, developing regional hub airports, and implementing SAATM effectively — the continent could unlock significant economic benefits.
It’s also important to notice one of the best airline players on the continent, Ethiopian airlines, where they have positioned themselves as a continent carrier with over 61 destinations across Afrikan cities and 125 global destinations.
Afrika is projected to become home to the largest populations in the world with over 2.5 billion people and also the center of the world’s working class, about 1.56 billion, accounting for 85% of the global workforce, representing a massive workforce, consumer market, and innovation base. A well-connected aviation network would help unlock these opportunities by enabling mobility, trade, and investment across the continent.
Ultimately, Afrika’s aviation challenge is not merely about aircraft or airports. It is about policy choices, governance reforms, and the political will to prioritize regional integration over narrow national interests.
If Afrika truly wants deeper economic integration, connecting the continent’s skies must become a priority.
