IATA Raises Concern over High Aviation Taxes in Africa

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has recently intensified its advocacy for African governments to integrate aviation as a pillar of their national economic strategies.

Meanwhile, the clearing house for more than 300 global airlines lamented that the cost of doing business in African aviation is high.

Removing roadblocks to ease doing business, it noted, is essential for aviation to thrive.

A key element of this is the taxes and charges by governments and infrastructure providers, the burden of which is about 15% higher in Africa than the global average.

 This push comes at a critical juncture for the continent, where the sector is seen as a primary driver for trade, tourism, and job creation.

IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi, at Focus Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said: “Aviation is economic infrastructure for Africa. Its value lies in the long‑term benefits it delivers.

“An aviation strategy focused on safety, cost-competitiveness, energy security/sustainability, and ease of doing business will create jobs, enable trade, support tourism, and further regional integration. The prosperity this generates will allow governments to push forward social and economic development more durably than any tax that might be collected from travellers.”