With global air traffic expected to double over the next 20 years, African countries need to ensure the required infrastructure is established to meet the needs for cargo and passenger flights.

With this in mind, a panel discussion on the second day of this year’s International Air Transport Association (IATA) Wings of Change Focus Africa conference focused on the status of Africa’s aviation infrastructure and economic regulations.

It was noted that the African aviation sector faces various obstacles, including infrastructure challenges and regulatory uncertainties.

South African Airways chief commercial officer Tebogo Tsimane noted that many airports in Africa did not have the infrastructure needed to cope with the expected growth in demand.

“[At a] very large portion of our continent, most of the airports that we operate to . . . the infrastructure is not up to standard; it is not ready for the growth that we are going to see,” he said.

Airports Company of South Africa CEO Mpumi Mpofu added that, while some African airports were facing capacity constraints, some countries were investing in their airports.

“As African airports we need to keep the competitive edge and encourage governments to invest,” she said.

From a cargo perspective, Swissport South Africa CEO Khangi Khoza added that the African Continental Free Trade Area could be a catalyst for growth on the continent. She noted that cargo traffic was expected to double by 2030, which would require greater capacity from an infrastructure perspective.

She further highlighted that skills development, as well as automation could also help to drive efficiency.

Khoza described technology as an enabler, arguing that any customer-centric environment should try to automate processes and improve processing times and efficiencies.

She pointed out that challenges, such as power supply issues in South Africa, could make it difficult to implement new technology, but emphasised that investing in new technologies could help drive transformation, as well as enhance visibility and transparency.

Meanwhile, IATA regional director of operations, safety and security Kashif Khalid highlighted the importance of establishing a good economic regulations framework for the aviation industry that avoids unnecessary and excessive charges or taxes.