Africa’s air travel is reliant on distant hubs: why it’s time to fix this

What the report says

A news analysis published by The Independent Uganda argues that Africa’s aviation system remains overly dependent on transit hubs outside the continent, a weakness that has become more visible amid recent disruptions in Middle Eastern airspace. The piece says rerouted flights, higher operating costs and delays have shown how shocks far from Africa can affect passenger travel and cargo movement across the region.

The article, attributed to Arthur Shirichena of The Conversation, says many African journeys still pass through cities such as Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul or European hubs rather than connecting directly between African destinations. It links this pattern to colonial-era network design, post-independence national carrier models and fragmented regional markets. The report also cites African Airlines Association estimates that non-African carriers operate a large share of intercontinental capacity serving Africa, leaving the continent vulnerable when external routes are disrupted.

The analysis says the impact is not limited to passengers. It notes that longer routings raise fuel, insurance and crew costs, while delays can hurt exporters that depend on air cargo for fresh produce and other time-sensitive goods. It also points to Africa’s high aviation fuel costs and weak coordination as major obstacles for local carriers.

As context, the article highlights existing continental efforts such as the Yamoussoukro Decision and the Single African Air Transport Market, but says implementation has been slow. It argues that stronger institutions, better enforcement and more direct intra-African routes would improve resilience and efficiency, with major hubs such as Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Cairo and Casablanca potentially playing a larger role.