By Waheedah Lawal Suleiman
Africa-Press – Uganda. A comprehensive analysis of ACI Africa’s survey on The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) implementation by African airport members.
The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) was established as a strategic framework to liberalise air transport in Africa. The general objective of the SAATM is to facilitate travel and trade seamlessly between African nations. By allowing airlines to operate freely through the borders, the initiative tries to eliminate the constraints that have long hindered travel and intra-African exchanges. This effort is particularly significant given that only 20% of African air traffic occurs currently within the continent, a clear contrast with other regions in which intra-regional air travel is significantly higher.
The Single African Air Transport Market is a flagship initiative under the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which aims to create a single unified air transport market across the African continent. SAATM seeks to liberalise the African aviation industry, transforming it into a single market to enhance connectivity, promote economic integration and boost intra-African trade among African countries.
Key objectives of SAATM include:
Liberalisation of air transport
Economic integration
Boosting intra-African trade
Alignment with global goals.
Latest update on SAATM and ACI Africa’s SAATM implementation survey
The implementation of SAATM is ongoing and dynamic, with varying levels of progress across different African Union member states and among different countries.
As of March 2025, 38 African countries have joined the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), with Malawi being the most recent addition.
By late 2024, 54 African states had committed to SAATM, with more than 22 ratifications secured. This indicates a strong political will among African nations to participate in the initiative, even if full implementation is still in progress.
In 2022, 17 African countries and aviation stakeholders participated in a pilot programme for SAATM implementation, and ACI Africa was part of this pilot project. This pilot phase was crucial for testing and refining the operational aspects of the market.
While SAATM implementation is progressing across Africa, it is not uniform. Countries like Ethiopia and Rwanda are leading the way with significant advancements, while others are at earlier stages of implementation. The recent addition of Malawi to SAATM and the increasing number of commitments and ratifications indicate a positive trend towards full implementation.
As part of its commitment to supporting SAATM and assessing implementation challenges, ACI Africa, through its Regional Committee on Economics, launched a survey among its member airports. A structured questionnaire, consisting of a mix of multiple-choice, rating scale and open-ended questions, was distributed to members to provide their insights into SAATM’s impact on the African airport industry.
The purpose of the survey lies in its ability to collect and analyse the collective feeling of airport operators, with the aim of evaluating the perceptions of airport members in Africa. This is crucial to understanding the wider impacts of SAATM on the aviation landscape in Africa, and as the continent moves towards greater economic integration and connectivity, this survey provides an important barometer of current attitudes and future prospects in the sector.
The online survey was sent by email to ACI Africa’s airport members on 14 January 14 2025, with responses due by 01 March 2025.
The survey aimed to:
Assess ACI Africa’s airport members awareness and understanding of SAATM
Identify key implementation challenges
Analyse the impact on passengers and airport operations
Gather recommendations to enhance collaboration for SAATM’s success.
The total respondents at the closing date of the survey were 47 from 13 countries with 39 from English-speaking and eight from French-speaking countries.
Familiarity and importance of SAATM
Being familiar with an initiative plays a crucial role in assessing its value. This survey revealed varying levels of familiarity with SAATM among most respondents (77%) who were either very familiar or somewhat familiar with SAATM, indicating a good level of awareness among airport members. However, there is still room for improvement in educating airport members about SAATM.
Respondents recognised the importance of SAATM for the development of air transport in Africa with a significant 94% of respondents considered SAATM as either “very important” or “important” for the development of air transport in Africa. This strong recognition of SAATM’s potential underscores the initiative’s relevance to the continent’s aviation sector.
Observed changes and impacts
Despite the high importance placed on SAATM, it is worthy to note that only 30% of respondents reported observing tangible changes in air transport operations due to SAATM initiatives. This suggests that while the potential of SAATM is recognised, its implementation and impact are still in the early stages.
Challenges faced by African airports in the implementation of the SAATM
Respondents identified several key challenges faced by African airports in the implementation of the SAATM. Specifically, 77% of respondents highlighted limited financial resources for airport expansion, modernisation, and operational upgrades as a major challenge for the effective implementation of SAATM. Similarly, many African airports (74% of respondents) would lack the necessary infrastructure to handle increased air traffic under SAATM. Inconsistent regulatory frameworks, i.e. lack of harmonised aviation regulations across African countries, were identified (62% of respondents) as being a major challenge faced by African airports in the implementation of the SAATM.Barriers to the implementation of the SAATM at the policy level
In addition to limited financial resources and infrastructure modernisation and expansion which remain a critical concern among airport operators, several barriers were identified to the implementation of the SAATM at the policy level. Some of these barriers are mentioned below.
Protectionism: Some countries maintain protectionist policies, particularly regarding national airlines.
Political will: Insufficient commitment from some African governments to fully implement SAATM.
Harmonised aviation regulations: Lack of alignment of visa policies, customs processes and security standards across African states.
Partnerships with governments can play a key role in supporting the successful implementation of the SAATM initiative. This collaboration can facilitate the removal of regulatory bottlenecks that usually make it difficult to progress, ensuring that all stakeholders are effectively working towards the shared goal of a connected Africa.Passenger traffic influence and readiness of African airports
For most African governments, the prospect of liberalising air services is fraught with difficulties, one of which is low passenger traffic in Africa. However, 79% of respondents from the survey saw no clear impact or were unsure of the impact of SAATM upon passenger traffic.
SAATM cannot thrive in isolation; it requires a coordinated approach between the parties concerned at national and regional level to create a favourable environment for liberalised air services.
In addition, the survey shed light on the crucial prospects concerning the readiness of African airports to the SAATM implementation and whether African airports are prepared to handle increase traffic under the SAATM. 68% of respondents rated their preparedness as excellent or good. 28% of respondent rated their preparedness as fair, whereas 4% gave a poor rating.
This highlights a clear recognition that SAATM cannot thrive in isolation; it requires a coordinated approach between the parties concerned at national and regional level to create a favourable environment for liberalised air services.
Commitment of African countries to the SAATM
The results of the ACI Africa survey illuminate a landscape full of opportunities for airport members and the economic freedom for African aviation. However, committing to SAATM requires the need for strategic planning and cooperation between airlines and government agencies as most airports in Africa are majority government operated and managed.
The survey further revealed an overwhelming 77% of respondents stated that African countries were either not committed or were unsure about the commitment of the African countries in the implementation of the SAATM.
Support from government for SAATM implementation
Interestingly, 77% of respondents identified public-private-partnership as a way forward for the support which can be provided by African airports in the successful implementation of the SAATM. As expected, investment in airport infrastructure, and alignment and simplification of the VISA policies were also considered as critical support. It is interesting to note that providing subsidies to airlines was not rated high in support to the SAATM.Recommendations
Based on the findings of this survey, ACI Africa Economics committee has proposed the following recommendations to advance the successful implementation of SAATM, as well as for airports to leverage for growth and efficiency.
Strengthening political commitment
Increased advocacy efforts to reinforce political will among member states will ensure deeper commitment and more effective implementation of SAATM. Stakeholders should engage continuously with policymakers to build and sustain political support.
Harmonisation of aviation regulation
Efforts must be intensified to harmonise aviation regulatory frameworks, visa policies, customs processes and security standards across African countries. Consistent regulatory alignment will significantly improve operational efficiency and market liberalisation.
Enhancing financial support and investment
Given the significant financial constraints highlighted by respondents, targeted funding strategies, including public-private partnerships, should be aggressively pursued. Investments aimed at modernising airport infrastructure will be crucial for airports to efficiently manage the anticipated increase in air traffic.
Infrastructure development and modernisation
African airports must prioritise the development and modernisation of their facilities to accommodate increased passenger traffic and operations anticipated under SAATM. Strategic planning and allocation of resources toward infrastructure readiness are necessary.
Increasing awareness and capacity building
While familiarity with SAATM among airport stakeholders is fairly high, additional educational initiatives and capacity-building workshops are recommended. This will ensure stakeholders fully understand SAATM’s benefits and effectively participate in its implementation.
Conclusion
The Single African Air Transport Market is a transformative initiative poised to significantly enhance connectivity and stimulate economic growth across Africa. While awareness and recognition of SAATM’s importance are notably high among ACI Africa airport members, tangible impacts remain limited due to implementation challenges. Variable political commitment, regulatory inconsistencies, financial constraints, infrastructure readiness represent significant hurdles.
Nevertheless, the findings indicate a positive trend in the commitment of African nations towards SAATM, highlighted by increased ratifications and country engagements. To realise SAATM’s full potential, concerted actions addressing the identified challenges and barriers, especially through political advocacy, financial support, regulatory harmonisation, infrastructure investment and capacity building, are imperative. Ultimately, sustained collaborative efforts among all stakeholders will be crucial to advancing SAATM’s successful implementation and unlocking its substantial benefits for the continent’s aviation sector.
Why SAATM is more than just business
A truly interconnected Africa would enhance the flying experience for its people, and it is imperative that we, as Africans, engage with the profound insights and experiences that arise from effortlessly accessing and exploring the continent’s economic opportunities.
SAATM is not just about business; it’s about African people (travellers) having access to air connectivity and a unified air transport market.
A truly interconnected Africa would enhance the flying experience for its people, and it is imperative that we, as Africans, engage with the profound insights and experiences that arise from effortlessly accessing and exploring the continent’s economic opportunities. Africa presents a continent abundant in untapped economic possibilities, extending beyond tourism to encompass collaborative efforts that will foster opportunities for partnerships, infrastructural investment and overall development within its borders.
Africa’s ticket to a stronger, more determined future in aviation
The promise of an interconnected, accessible Africa is within reach. However, it is one that requires commitment, collaboration and action.
In my opinion, SAATM represents more than just an aviation policy; it holds the key to economic transformation, ensuring a seamless travel experience. And if fully embraced, it could deliver affordable, efficient air travel to millions of Africans, boosting trade, tourism and regional integration.
What we need is not more declarations or official policy documents, but action. SAATM is not a policy dream; it is the golden key to unlock Africa’s tomorrow. The question at hand is whether African policy makers are capable of meeting the challenge and creating the right atmosphere for the successful implementation of SAATM. The time to act is now.
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