Why Africa’s ‘Open Skies’ Remain Locked in the Hangar

 

The message from the industry is clear: Africa no longer needs more signatures; it needs schedules. Without enforcement mechanisms to hold non-compliant signatories accountable, SAATM risks becoming another paper tiger in a continent desperate for connectivity, writes WOLE SHADARE

For nearly a decade, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) has been hailed as the holy grail of African aviation—a flagship project of the AU’s Agenda 2063 designed to dismantle the restrictive bilateral walls that make flying between African cities more expensive than flying to Europe.

Yamoussoukro Decision failure

In 1999, the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) was adopted to recognise that restrictive regulatory controls on air travel between African States (codified in Bilateral Air Service Agreements – BASAs) were detrimental to intra-Africa connectivity and the holistic development of the African air transport industry (especially in terms of safety and security).

However, the implementation of this agreement has been slow and limited, and thus the potential benefits of liberalising intra-African air markets remain largely unrealised.

In 2018, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) project was launched by the African Union to give fresh impetus to the goal of liberalising aviation across Africa and to fully implement the YD. To date, 38 African Union member states (out of 55) have signed the commitment to establish SAATM.

SAATM turbulent implementation

Yet, as of February 2026, the ambitious project is facing a turbulent implementation phase. While the paperwork piles up in Addis Ababa, African carriers remain grounded by a familiar cocktail of protectionism, high taxes, and a staggering lack of political will.

The numbers tell a story of stalled momentum. Out of 55 African Union member states, 38 have signed the Solemn Commitment to SAATM. However, the true litmus test is the Memorandum of Implementation (MoI), which only 26 countries have signed. This disparity creates a fragmented patchwork sky.

The Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Abderahmane Berthé, recently noted in Nairobi, Kenya, that the delay is being borne by airlines and passengers.

Current data from early 2026 reveals a sobering reality. Non-African airlines still dominate the intercontinental market, carrying 67.1% of traffic. The 5th Freedom rights—which allow an airline to fly between two foreign countries—account for only 22% of intra-African connectivity.

Stifling market

Industry stakeholders point to several choke points that continue to stifle the market. Many governments continue to shield distressed state-owned airlines from competition, viewing liberalisation as a threat to national sovereignty rather than an economic enabler.

Africa remains one of the most expensive regions for aviation. Fuel prices are roughly 17% higher than the global average, while airport charges and taxes are inflated by 12–15%.

As part of infrastructure gaps, the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) has identified over 60 critical infrastructure gaps across 41 countries, ranging from ageing navigation systems to a lack of Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities.

Despite progress in Rwanda and Benin, nearly 75% of Africans still require a traditional visa to travel within the continent, neutralising the benefits of any “open sky” policy.

The opportunity cost of this slow implementation is immense. Projections suggest that a fully operational SAATM could lower average airfares by 26%, with total injections into the continent’s GDP exceeding $1.4 billion annually and the creation of nearly 100,000 new jobs in aviation and tourism.

African carriers struggle

Instead, African carriers are struggling with a measly 1.3% net profit margin—the lowest in the world—earning just $1.30 per passenger compared to the global average of nearly $8.00.

From Policy to Practice

To break the deadlock, AFCAC has launched the Pilot Implementation Project (PIP) involving 18 proactive states—including Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya—to demonstrate the tangible benefits of a truly liberalised market.

Nigeria, as one of the 18 PIP (Pilot Implementation Project) states, occupies a unique and somewhat contradictory position: it has the largest population and significant private airline growth, yet its carriers face some of the steepest protectionist pushback when trying to expand into neighbouring West and Central African markets.

Nigerian carriers frequently face “aeropolitics”—where, despite SAATM agreements, they are met with exorbitant landing fees or delayed permits by neighbouring regulators to protect local interests.

The economic absurdity of our sub-region is best viewed through a boarding pass. It is a damning indictment of West African integration that a 45-minute flight from Lagos to Accra can, during peak periods, cost more than a 7-hour flight from Lagos to Dubai.

Experts’ views

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, said SAATM offers the African aviation industry the opportunity to enhance connectivity, improve safety standards, and boost economic growth.

He, however, lamented that few governments have taken the steps needed to implement it.

The Minister also called for a concerted effort to address the challenges facing the African aviation industry, such as high operational costs, restrictive bilateral agreements, and limited access to financing.

He noted that overcoming these obstacles is essential to unlocking SAATM’s full potential and achieving broader economic benefits for the continent.

Equally important to him is infrastructure development, emphasising the need for significant investments in airport infrastructure and air navigation services to support increased air traffic and ensure safety and efficiency.

Despite the slow full implementation of SAATM, the Secretary-General of Africa Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Funke Adeyemi urged all eligible Nigerian airlines to take advantage of the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM) to expand their operations across Africa and invest in infrastructure to ensure safe, secure, efficient, sustainable and competitive operational environments that promote easy connectivity, business growth, and job creation across the African continent.

She disclosed that twenty ready states under SAATM PIP are Cape Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Gabon, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Togo, and Zambia.

Adeyemi stated that the immediate goal of AFCAC, working with all the stakeholders (AUC, AFRAA, IATA, ACI, UNECA, UNWTO, RECs, etc.) with support from technical and financial partners, is to improve the 5th Freedom Traffic penetration in Africa from the current level of 14.5% to 30% by 2025.

She further stated that as more 5th freedom traffic rights are granted through liberalisation, airlines can connect more city pairs in Africa, which will, in turn, lead to the full maximisation of the benefits associated with the direct and indirect gains from a competitive environment.

Last line

Aviation in Africa is not a luxury; it is a critical infrastructure. Until the ‘Open Skies’ signature matches the ‘Open Skies’ behaviour on the tarmac, the continent will continue to export its aviation wealth to foreign hubs.

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