Africa’s rising, but it needs planes and a plan to take off
Demand is steadily building for air travel, but infrastructure and regulation are lagging.
Africa is on the cusp of an aviation revolution, but the continent’s take-off will depend on more than just its booming population and fast-growing economies. It needs planes, infrastructure, and a unified policy to unlock its potential as a global travel powerhouse, says Henok Teferra Shawl, Boeing’s managing director for Africa.
Speaking to Global South World at the Crans Montana Forum, Henok described how Africa’s economic growth is already driving demand for air travel. “We’re seeing the highest GDP growth rates now in Africa,” he said. “Countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Morocco, Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire are registering growth of six to seven percent per year. More people have disposable incomes, which directly translates into air travel growth.”
Hundreds of planes
Yet that demand is colliding with limited capacity. According to Henok, Africa will need roughly 1,200 new planes over the next 20 years to meet the rising demand. That means massive investment not only in aircraft but also in airports, maintenance hubs, and supply chains. Ethiopia, for instance, is preparing to build one of the world’s largest airports - a $10 billion project designed for 100 million passengers annually.
Henock, a former Ethiopian ambassador to France and Spain, also highlighted the high cost of aviation fuel and restrictive regulations as barriers to progress. He called on African governments to fully implement the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), a continent-wide open skies agreement first adopted by African Union leaders in 2017. “Thirty-five countries have signed on, but we need everybody,” he said. “A liberalised African airspace will increase connectivity, lower prices and benefit both airlines and travellers.”
Despite hurdles, Henok sees a continent “visibly rising” with its youthful demographics and technological dynamism. He points to mobile money systems that outpace Europe’s and to Morocco’s aviation manufacturing sector, which is integrated into Boeing’s global supply chain and generates more than $2 billion in annual exports. For him, these partnerships illustrate how Africa can leverage foreign technology on its own terms to build “win-win” industries.
At the forefront
Looking ahead, Henok envisions an Africa where more people can afford to travel, airports match global standards, and airlines operate the latest fuel-efficient aircraft. Ethiopian Airlines, for example, was among the first in the world to buy Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner and is now a launch customer for the new 777X.
“Africa is the continent of the present and the future,” he said. “When you see cities transformed and a young population full of energy, it gives me hope. If the future is bright for Africa, it will be bright for the world.”
Interview filmed by Said Echarif at the Crans Montana Forum in Rabat
[This article was amended to correct the name of Henok Teferra Shawl]
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
