Africa’s passenger air travel market is poised for sustained expansion, with annual traffic projected to grow by an average of 6 percent through 2044, according to Boeing’s 2025 Commercial Market Outlook released on 02 December.
The aircraft manufacturer attributes this trajectory to the continent’s youthful population, a rising middle class, accelerating urbanisation, and ongoing investment in airport infrastructure and cross-border connectivity.
The report indicates that Africa’s commercial fleet will more than double over the next 20 years, reaching an estimated 1,680 aircraft. Single-aisle jets are expected to dominate future deliveries, accounting for roughly 70 percent of the more than 1,200 new airplanes set to enter service—supporting the expansion of domestic operations and short-haul international routes.
Shahab Matin, Boeing’s managing director of Commercial Marketing for the Middle East and Africa, said aviation remains a powerful engine for economic opportunity across the continent, strengthening regional integration and sustaining long-term growth. As airlines scale up, Boeing projects heightened demand for investment across the wider aviation ecosystem, including workforce development.
The company forecasts the continent will require about 74,000 aviation professionals—pilots, technicians and cabin crew—over the next two decades. It also anticipates services demand valued at approximately 130 billion U.S. dollars to bolster fleet expansion and operational resilience through 2044.