RwandAir Chief Executive Officer Yvonne Manzi Makolo has called for African countries to tackle the high operating costs and regulatory barriers that continue to make air travel within the continent more expensive than in other regions.
Speaking at the Africa Mindset Reset Forum in Kigali on August 26, Makolo said high jet-fuel prices, airport taxes and charges, navigation fees and other costs imposed on airlines are ultimately passed on to passengers.
“Operating within the African continent as an airline is a huge challenge,” Makolo said, according to The New Times.
She said aviation fuel in Africa can cost 20% to 40% more than in other parts of the world, while airport charges and other fees add further pressure to ticket prices.
The result, she noted, is that travelling between African countries can sometimes cost more than flying much longer distances outside the continent.
Makolo said Rwanda has taken measures that have helped support RwandAir and the country’s aviation sector, including a visa regime that facilitates travel, investment in aviation infrastructure and policies aimed at reducing operating costs.
She said these measures have helped Kigali develop as an aviation hub, while RwandAir continues to expand its network.
However, she argued that individual countries cannot solve the continent’s aviation challenges alone.
SAATM implementation key to cheaper travel
Makolo urged African governments to accelerate implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which seeks to liberalise air transport and improve connectivity between African countries.
She said African countries have made progress in adopting continental frameworks but continue to maintain bilateral arrangements and other restrictions that limit airlines’ access to markets.
“We signed SAATM. What we need is to implement it properly,” Makolo said.
She argued that a genuinely open African aviation market would allow airlines to operate more freely, increase competition and connectivity, and potentially bring down the cost of travel.
The aviation sector, she said, should be treated as an economic enabler rather than simply a source of government revenue through taxes and charges.
Makolo’s concerns were echoed by other speakers at the forum, who pointed to the wider gap between Africa’s ambitious integration policies and their implementation. Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, said the continent already has the institutions and frameworks needed for integration, including SAATM and the African Continental Free Trade Area, but needs stronger political commitment to implement them.
For Makolo, reducing aviation costs and removing restrictions would have benefits beyond passengers.
More affordable and reliable air connectivity could facilitate trade, tourism and business, while making it easier for Africans to travel, work and invest across borders.
She said Africa must therefore move from agreements on paper to practical implementation if aviation is to play its full role in connecting the continent and supporting economic integration.
