According to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Africa’s growth rate was nearly triple the global average of 5.5%. This marks the fifth consecutive month of double-digit expansion for the continent, solidifying its position as a high-growth corridor in the global aviation industry.

Key Performance Indicators (November 2025)

• Demand (CTK): African carriers saw a 15.6% YoY increase in Cargo Tonne-Kilometres, the strongest rise among all regions.
• Capacity (ACTK): To keep pace with surging demand, airlines on the continent increased their capacity by 18.1% YoY.
• Global Standing: Africa significantly outpaced the Asia-Pacific (up 10.3%) and Europe (up 5.8%), while North America (down 1.6%) and Latin America (down 4.8%) experienced contractions.

Drivers of the African Air Cargo Boom

The resilient end to 2025 for African air freight was largely driven by:

1. Robust Trade Lanes: Significant activity on the Africa–Asia trade lane remained a primary engine for growth as economic ties between the two regions deepened.
2. Strategic Re-routing: Shippers increasingly shifted to air freight for high-value goods to minimize risks associated with changing global trade patterns and potential tariff hikes.
3. Holiday Season Push: Shippers prioritized timely delivery in the lead-up to the year-end festive season, boosting overall volumes.

Industry Outlook for 2026

IATA Director General Willie Walsh noted that the strong performance in the fourth quarter of 2025 bodes well for the industry’s prospects in the new year.

“Air cargo demand was resilient as strategic re-routing of trade shaped performance across key markets,” Walsh stated. He further emphasized that the sustained double-digit growth in Africa reflects a broader trend of aviation resilience on the continent, which has also seen robust growth in passenger traffic.

However, the industry faces headwinds moving into 2026, including a 5.9% rise in jet fuel prices and ongoing manufacturing caution due to global tariff uncertainties.

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Air Cargo: The Silent Engine of the Economy

According to the report, while passenger flights often capture headlines, cargo operations are the silent engine that keeps businesses running. From perishable agricultural exports to critical medical supplies and high-value electronics, air cargo connects Nigeria to global markets with speed and reliability.

“Cargo carried by air represents only a fraction of Nigeria’s overall trade volume, but it accounts for goods of significant value,” the report noted. This means while ships carry bulk cargo, aviation moves the products that demand precision, speed, and security.

Trade and E-Commerce Boom

With Nigeria’s growing digital economy, air freight is also becoming essential for e commerce.

Logistics companies and airlines are increasingly partnering to meet rising consumer demand for fast deliveries. Analysts say this trend will only intensify as more Nigerians shop online and SMEs export to regional and global markets.

Regional Connectivity and Beyond

Nigeria’s geographic position offers natural advantages as a logistics hub for West and Central Africa.

Its 24 commercial airports and growing airline base provide the infrastructure needed to expand cargo operations further.

With investment in specialized cargo terminals, cold storage, and digital tracking systems, Nigeria could capture a larger share of Africa’s booming trade flows.

Unlocking More Value

Stakeholders believe targeted policies can unlock even greater value from air cargo. Lowering tariffs on aviation equipment, expanding free trade zones, and harmonizing customs processes across borders are seen as game-changers.

As the report concludes: “Air cargo is more than freight, it is an enabler of trade, jobs, and development. For Nigeria, each tonne of goods shipped by air strengthens its role as Africa’s economic powerhouse.”

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Speaking during the launch held on Africa Day, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, the minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, announced that the new air cargo route, established under the African Continental Free Trade Area Framework, will give Nigerian exporters access to three key African hubs including Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa.

According to the Minister, the new air cargo connects Nigerian goods to AfCFTA markets via Uganda Airlines, enabling a 50 – 75% reduction in logistics, which includes regulatory charges.

She described the development as a significant milestone in the collective efforts to help Nigerian businesses, especially for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), to take full advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) opportunities at lower costs and reduced risks.

The special rates will be available to Nigerian businesses that are members of recognised business associations, such as the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce,  Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Entrepreneurs, Nigeria Association of Small Scale Industrialists, and Women Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines & Agriculture.

Speaking on the importance of the initiative, Dr. Odulwole said:

“Commencing from Lagos and Abuja, this corridor is more than a logistics initiative. It is a strategic trade enabler accelerating regional integration and unlocking new opportunities for Nigerian exporters.

“For far too long, Nigerian exporters have faced steep logistic costs and long delivery times, when they trade with African partners. This corridor reduces delivery timelines from months to days and ensures that time-sensitive, perishable goods reach their destination in peak conditions.”

The Minister also extended appreciation to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of Aviation, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, and the MD/CEO of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria for their contributions to the successful rollout of the initiative.

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The report shows:

• Full-year demand for 2024, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), increased 11.3% (12.2% for international operations) compared to 2023. Full-year 2024 demand exceeded the record volumes set in 2021.

• Full-year capacity in 2024, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), increased by 7.4% compared to 2023 (9.6% for international operations).

• Full-year yields averaged 1.6% lower than 2023 but 39% higher than in 2019.

• December 2024 brought the year to a close with continued strong performance. Global demand was 6.1% above December 2023 levels (7.0% for international operations). Global capacity was 3.7% above December 2023 levels (5.2% for international operations). Cargo yields were 6.6% higher than December 2023 (and 53.4% higher than in December 2019).

On a year-on-year basis in 2024, African airlines

• saw 8.5% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo.
• increased their cargo capacity by 13.6% year-on-year
• achieving a 41.8% cargo load factor (i.e. less than half of the available capacity was taken up by the market)
• However, in December 2024 demand fell by -0.9% year-on-year,
  • which was the lowest of all regions
• and capacity increased 1.8%.

In 2024, Africa accounted for 2.0% of the total global air cargo market.

The air cargo sector is a useful barometer of intra-regional and global trade and economic performance.

Although air cargo volumes are a fraction of the tonnage carried by sea, road, river and rail, items transported by aircraft are generally high-value items (computer chips, smart phones, tablets, jewellery, documents etc.) and perishables (food, flowers, pharmaceuticals, transplant organs, etc.) while e-commerce also accounts for a steadily increasing segment of the market.

Other Regional Performance

Asia-Pacific airlines saw 14.5% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in 2024, the strongest among the regions. Capacity increased by 11.3% year-on-year. December year-on-year demand increased 8.4% and capacity increased 6.3%.

North American carriers saw 6.6% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in 2024, the lowest of all regions. Capacity increased by 3.4% year-on-year. December year-on-year demand increased 5.3% and capacity increased 2.1%.

European carriers saw 11.2% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in 2024. Capacity increased by 7.8% year-on-year. December year-on-year demand increased 5.1% and capacity increased 3.7%.

Middle Eastern carriers saw 13% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in 2024. Capacity increased by 5.5% year-on-year. December year-on-year demand increased 3.3% and capacity increased 0.2%.

Latin American carriers saw 12.6% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in 2024. Capacity increased by 7.9% year-on-year. December year-on-year demand increased 10.9%, the highest of all regions and capacity increased 8.4%.

Trade Lane Growth: International routes experienced exceptional traffic levels for the 17^th consecutive month with a 7% year-on-year increase in December. Airlines are benefiting from rising e-commerce demand in the US and Europe amid ongoing capacity limits in ocean shipping.

“Air cargo was the standout performer in 2024 with airlines moving more air cargo than ever before. Importantly, it was a year of profitable growth. Demand, up 11.3% year-on-year, was boosted by particularly strong e-commerce and various ocean shipping restrictions. This combined with airspace restrictions which limited capacity on some key long-haul routes to Asia helped to keep yields at exceptionally high levels. While average yields continued to soften from peaks in 2021-2022 they averaged 39% higher than 2019,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general.

Looking to 2025, IATA estimates growth to moderate to 5.8%, aligned with historical performance. “Economic fundamentals point to another good year for air cargo—with oil prices on a downward trajectory and trade continuing to grow.

There is no doubt, however, that the air cargo industry will be challenged to adapt to unfolding geopolitical shifts. The first week of the Trump administration demonstrated its strong interest in using tariffs as a policy tool that could bring a double whammy for air cargo—boosting inflation and deflating trade,” said Walsh.

Several factors in the operating environment should be noted:

• Global trade in goods grew by 3.6% annually in 2024.
• In December, both the manufacturing output Purchasing Managers Index or PMI (49.2) and new export orders PMI (48.2) were below the critical threshold represented by the 50 mark, indicating a decline in global manufacturing production and exports.
• US headline inflation, based on the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose by 0.2 percentage points to 2.9% in December. In the same month, the inflation rate in the EU increased by 0.2 percentage points to 2.7%. China’s consumer inflation fell by 0.1 percentage points to 0.1% in December, marking the fourth consecutive year-on-year decline and reinforcing concerns about an economic slowdown.

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In terms of Capacity, it was 14.0% above November 2022 levels.

There is also a global increase of 8.3% Air cargo.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), report released on the 9th of January 2024, has revealed.

According to the report, the global air cargo markets as the strongest year-on-year growth in roughly two years, which is partly due to weakness in November 2022, but also reflects a fourth consecutive month of strengthening demand for air cargo.

It is implicit to note that the Global demand for air cargo, is measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs), increased by 8.3% compared to November 2022. However, for the international operations, demand growth was 8.1%.

Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTKs), was up 13.7% compared to November 2022 (+11.6% for international operations). Most of the capacity growth continues to be attributable to the increase in belly capacity as international passenger markets continue their post-COVID recovery.

But before now, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the Aviacargo Team from Nigeria was on a fact-finding visit to Kotoka International Airport Cargo Facilities, as part of its benchmarking efforts in the air cargo business.

The team was led by Olumyiwa Femi-Pearse, the Director of Commercial and Business Development. The Trip was with the Support of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Ghana Airport Company Ltd (GACL). It also signifies part of the effort by the Nigerian Team to Ramp up Aviacargo Business in Nigeria.

Nigeria is Currently ranked number five in Africa behind Aviacargo Leaders Kenya, Egypt South Africa and Ethiopia. As the biggest economy and the largest population, Nigeria receives over 10 fully loaded freighters weekly and most leaves empty.

To redress this, the Government of Nigeria set up an Aviacargo Roadmap Committee with Ikechi Uko as the coordinator of the project.

He wants the team to make sure the report and Findings are implemented.

This will afford Nigeria the opportunity to learn from People who had earlier learnt from us and would place the country in it rightful position in the world.

[Featured Image Credit]

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