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LAGOS – African carriers recorded a 7.7 per cent year-on-year increase in air cargo demand in April 2026, even as available cargo capacity fell by 9.4 per cent, according to the latest global air cargo markets data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The figures showed that Africa accounted for 2.1 per cent of global cargo traffic and posted one of the strongest performances among regions. The continent’s cargo load factor rose by 7.8 percentage points to 49.1 per cent.
Globally, air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), rose by 4.0 per cent compared with April 2025, while capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTK), declined by 0.4 per cent. Asia-Pacific airlines led the growth with a 10.5 per cent increase in demand, while Middle Eastern carriers suffered an 18.2 per cent decline.
Commenting on the development, IATA Director General, Willie Walsh, said strong trade flows linked to Asia had driven the growth in cargo demand but noted that ongoing conflict in the Middle East had disrupted major Gulf hubs and reshaped trade routes.
“Air cargo is once again keeping supply chains moving amid trade disruptions. The coming months will test how well the sector can absorb continued geopolitical uncertainty and elevated operating costs,” Walsh said.
On the passenger side, African airlines recorded a 2.2 per cent increase in demand in April, while capacity rose by 1.2 per cent. The region’s load factor improved by 0.7 percentage points to 77.9 per cent.
However, global passenger demand fell by 3.4 per cent compared with April 2025, largely due to the sharp downturn in the Middle East. Excluding the region, worldwide passenger traffic would have grown by 1.2 per cent.
International passenger demand declined by 5.3 per cent, while domestic traffic remained flat. Overall capacity was down 2.9 per cent, with the global load factor standing at 83.1 per cent.
