Airport City, the modern commercial district in Accra, Ghana. © Wikimedia Commons/jbdodane Published on July 17, 2026 at 08:00 am (GMT +1) A few kilometres around Accra International Airport, a second capital is quietly being built. Not a political one, though Jubilee House – the seat of government – sits nearby. This is the capital of deals.The shift is visible from the road: Accra Marriott Hotel, Marina Mall, Holiday Inn, Ibis Styles, airline offices, diplomatic missions, Telecel’s corporate presence and a rising belt of apartments around Airport Residential, Cantonments, Roman Ridge and Airport West. Ghana Airports Company has long promoted…
Author: Nandi Biko
The secondary aircraft market has become an increasingly vital growth lever for regional aviation, particularly in Africa, even as a persistent global supply backlog complicates carriers’ access to aircraft, according to Raphael Haddad, President of Jetcraft Commercial.Speaking to Aviation Week, Haddad laid out several challenges that have tightened the used aircraft market worldwide.“Restarting production lines after the pandemic proved far more difficult than anticipated while a severe shortage of components—including new engines, APUs and landing gears—has left supply barely sufficient to meet new-build demand, let alone the secondary market,” he said.New aircraft production is now effectively saturated, he added, with…
0 Global air cargo demand continued its upward trajectory in May 2026, recording solid growth despite geopolitical tensions and lingering economic uncertainties, with African airlines emerging as the best-performing carriers worldwide. The latest figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show that total air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), increased by 6.0 per cent compared with May 2025. International cargo operations performed even better, posting a 6.5 per cent year-on-year increase. The industry’s cargo capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTK), also expanded, rising by 1.9 per cent globally and 2.8 per cent on international…
Africa’s airline industry is entering a new phase of competition as carriers intensify efforts to capture a larger share of the continent’s regional air travel market through fleet expansion, network growth and strategic partnerships. Driven by the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), improving economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and rising demand for business and leisure travel, airlines across Africa are strengthening their regional footprints in a bid to emerge as the continent’s preferred connectors. The renewed expansion drive reflects a broader industry strategy aimed at unlocking the enormous potential of intra-African…
African airlines recorded the strongest air cargo growth of any region in May, highlighting the continent’s expanding role in global trade and supply chains as demand for freight services continues to outpace much of the world. This is according to the latest data released by International Air Transport Association (IATA) that indicates African carriers posted a remarkable 13.3% year-on-year increase in air cargo demand during May 2026. This is more than double the global average growth rate of 6%. Capacity on the continent increased by a modest 1.3%, indicating that airlines are carrying significantly more cargo without a corresponding expansion…
Africa is a continent of vast distances and uneven roads, and in many countries, a small aircraft is faster, cheaper, and more reliable than any alternative on the ground. That reality has shaped an aviation network that stretches from major international hubs to remote unpaved airstrips barely visible on a map. Cape Town International Airport, South Africa Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi, Kenya) Goma airport Namibia airport Julius Nyerere International Airport (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport – BCHOD Zimbabwe P. G. Matante International Airport – Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana Kenneth Kaunda International Airport Dr. António…
If you ask almost any African aviation executive what keeps them awake at night, the answer rarely begins with passengers. It begins with the things that sit beneath the passenger experience. Market access, taxes, airport charges, infrastructure, aircraft financing, foreign exchange, maintenance capacity and the cost of simply staying in the air. These are the stubborn constraints that have shaped African aviation for decades. Liberalization remains incomplete. Charges and taxes remain high. Airlines struggle to access affordable capital. Airports are often either underdeveloped, badly integrated into airline strategy or expensive to use. China is quietly becoming relevant in two of…
MIE Events and Niche Ideas have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop Global Aviation Africa (GAA), a new platform focused on airport infrastructure, aviation innovation and investment across Africa. The initiative will be launched in Morocco, reflecting the country’s ambition to strengthen its position as a regional aviation, trade and investment hub connecting Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Global Aviation Africa will bring together governments, airports, airlines, investors and technology providers to support aviation infrastructure development, connectivity and sustainable growth across the continent. MIE Events is pleased to announce the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding…
Image generated with Ai Northern Nigeria is entering a new chapter in regional aviation as ASKY Airlines officially launches direct services to Kano, adding one of West Africa’s most influential commercial cities to its expanding African network. The new route strengthens links between Nigeria and several francophone West African markets while creating fresh opportunities for tourism, business travel and regional trade. For travellers, the expansion offers faster and more convenient access to one of Africa’s oldest trading centres. For the wider travel industry, it represents another important step towards improving regional connectivity across the continent as African airlines continue expanding…
ProCharter Aviation has announced the launch of four new direct air cargo corridors from Nairobi, expanding its regional freight network and enhancing connectivity across East Africa. The new services are designed to support growing trade demand, improve supply chain efficiency, and provide businesses with faster access to key regional markets. The expansion introduces weekly round-trip cargo services connecting Nairobi with Mogadishu, Kismayo, Djibouti, and Juba. The routes will offer both cargo consolidation and full freighter charter solutions, providing customers with greater flexibility in transporting goods across the region. According to the company, the new corridors have been developed in response…
The inaugural African Air Transport Convention & Expo 2026 concluded in Lomé with the adoption of the landmark Lomé Declaration, setting a roadmap to accelerate aviation liberalization, strengthen connectivity, attract investment, and advance sustainable air transport. The event brought together more than 950 stakeholders committed to transforming Africa’s aviation industry. Lomé, Togo – The inaugural African Air Transport Convention & Expo 2026 concluded successfully after five days of high-level dialogue, strategic collaboration and concrete commitments aimed at accelerating the transformation of Africa’s aviation sector. Organised by the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC),…
Astral Aviation has resumed its dedicated freighter service between Haikou, China, and Johannesburg, South Africa, following the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement with Fly Noor Aviation Services at the Air Cargo China 2026 exhibition in Shanghai. The agreement, signed by the CEOs of both companies, aims to strengthen air cargo connectivity between China and Africa amid rising trade volumes and growing demand for reliable freight capacity. Under the partnership, Astral Aviation will operate a twice-weekly scheduled Boeing 767-300 Freighter service with a payload capacity of up to 50 tonnes per flight. The service will connect Haikou, the capital of…