How Africa’s airfreight potential hinges on cargo infrastructure

With improved cargo facilities and digital solutions, Africa can unlock airfreight potential and address its infrastructure challenges.

Africa stands at a pivotal point in the rapidly evolving global air cargo landscape. Positioned strategically between major global markets and backed by growing economic potential, the continent offers substantial opportunities for air cargo expansion. African airlines saw 8.5% year-on-year demand growth in 2024, and capacity increased by 13.6% year-on-year, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

However, challenges in infrastructure, technology adoption, and regulatory frameworks continue to impede growth in many regions.

The current state and challenges of air cargo infrastructure
Africa's air cargo infrastructure presents a mixed picture across the continent. While hubs like Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa Bole International Airport have made significant strides in developing modern facilities, many airports across the continent still operate with limited or aging infrastructure. Kenya, in particular, has emerged as a strategic air cargo hub in East Africa. The country's strong agricultural exports, flowers, vegetables, and herbs alongside pharmaceuticals and a rapidly growing e-commerce sector, have driven substantial investments in cargo handling infrastructure.

In 2023, airports in Kenya handled 380,000 tonnes of air cargo, contributing to the country's overall import and export volumes, according to data from the IATA.

“Kenya’s airport infrastructure has improved significantly, particularly in modern cargo warehouses that meet international standards such as IATA CEIV Pharma and Fresh. Swissport’s 10,400 sqm warehouse has a handling capacity of over 150,000 tonnes annually, ensuring support for the sector’s expanding demands,” says Racheal Ndegwa, CEO, Swissport Kenya.

However, this level of development is not uniform across the continent. David Ambridge, Director Cargo & Mail, TAAG Angola Airlines, says, “Very few airports in Africa have a modern cargo infrastructure.”

Aging airport infrastructure remains a critical issue, increasing operational costs as companies must invest heavily in equipment and manpower to compensate for inefficiencies.”
Racheal Ndegwa, Swissport Kenya

One of the most significant bottlenecks in African air cargo operations remains outdated customs processes. “One of the biggest challenges is that almost all customs authorities still rely on paper rather than digital. This means that customs clearance in most airports is quite slow,” adds Ambridge.

This reliance on manual documentation creates delays, increases the risk of errors, and inhibits the seamless flow of goods that is essential in today's fast-paced global supply chains. The cost of doing business presents another major hurdle. “Airport charges are high, handling costs are high, and service is often very average,” states Ambridge. These elevated costs are often a direct result of infrastructure inefficiencies, creating a challenging environment for air cargo stakeholders to operate profitably.

While warehouse capacity has improved in certain hubs, apron infrastructure remains problematic.“The apron infrastructure remains a major bottleneck, with limited space causing congestion and delays. Expanding and maintaining apron areas is critical, alongside necessary upgrades to runways and taxiways to accommodate increasing cargo volumes and larger freighters. While JKIA remains the primary hub, developing secondary airports like Eldoret and Mombasa could help decentralise operations and enhance regional connectivity,” says Ndegwa.

This constraint affects aircraft turnaround times and operational efficiency, creating ripple effects throughout the air cargo supply chain. Much of Africa's airport infrastructure was developed decades ago and has not kept pace with growing cargo volumes or changing requirements for specialised shipments. Ndegwa points out that “Aging airport infrastructure remains a critical issue, increasing operational costs as companies must invest heavily in equipment and manpower to compensate for inefficiencies.”

The retention of qualified personnel represents another challenge, with Ndegwa noting "The loss of skilled talent to other markets" as a significant concern. Without experienced professionals to operate increasingly sophisticated cargo handling systems, the benefits of infrastructure investments cannot be fully realised.

Technological innovations driving progress
Despite these challenges, technological innovation is gradually transforming air cargo operations across Africa. Leading cargo handlers and airlines are implementing digital solutions to enhance efficiency, transparency, and security in their operations. Swissport is at the forefront of this digital transformation: “Swissport is implementing a new Departure control system in collaboration with Champ.aero, dubbed Cargospot-neo, which will revolutionise the way airfreight is processed in our warehouses and increase efficiency and traceability functions for customers. This will also be crucial in the full implementation of the new IATA Cargo quality milestones i.e. freight out of warehouse (FOW) and freight in warehouse (FIW), which provides the freight forwarders and agents with the visibility of their cargo and the timelines that are taken to handle the critical processes, and especially for special cargo e.g. valuables, time, and temperature sensitive products etc,” says Ndegwa.

“This is in addition to the mobile applications, using smart digital hand-held terminals, which are in the process of implementation across the cargo network,” adds Ndegwa.

The widespread adoption of such mobile technology is enhancing operational flexibility and real-time data capture across African cargo operations.

Weight accuracy is critical for air cargo operations, impacting both safety and commercial aspects. Recognising this, Swissport is “implementing the Integrated Weighing solution (IWS), which is a weighing tool that is integrated to the departure control system, and as such reduces weight discrepancies and creates efficiencies with the cargo weighing process.”

Airlines are also embracing digital platforms to enhance customer service and operational visibility. Ambridge emphasises that “Having visibility and accessibility of the digital platforms is important to TAAG. We have our own web portal, the Cargospot Portal, and through our General Sales & Service Agent (GSSA), we will also be visible on CargoAI, Cargo.one, and some other digital platforms. We already get 3000 to 4000 hits a month on our portal for tracking, so this proves how valuable this platform is and will be in the future.”

The integration of these various technological solutions is creating a more connected and efficient air cargo ecosystem. However, the uneven pace of technology adoption across different regions and stakeholders remains a challenge.

Investment models and growth opportunities
Addressing Africa's air cargo infrastructure challenges requires substantial investment, often beyond what individual companies or even governments can provide. Various models are emerging to facilitate this development. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are becoming increasingly important for airport infrastructure development. “In recent years, some governments have actively sought funding to improve airport infrastructure, either through loans or public-private partnerships (PPP) and build-operate-transfer (BOT) models,” says Ndegwa. These partnerships leverage private sector expertise and capital while aligning with public sector development goals.

Innovative approaches to infrastructure development include long-term land leases at airports: “One successful approach has been leasing airport land for a concession period to develop warehouses, a model that has significantly enhanced specialised infrastructure in Kenya.”

This model allows private operators to invest in custom-built facilities while ensuring long-term operational rights. Investments in specialised infrastructure are particularly important for high-value cargo segments: “Investments in cold chain facilities, vacuum coolers, and automated cargo handling systems have notably improved the handling of perishable goods and pharmaceuticals,” notes Ndegwa.

The high costs of doing business in Africa are significant. Airport charges are high, handling costs are elevated, and the service is often just average.”
David Ambridge, TAAG Angola Airlines

In September 2024, Menzies Aviation inaugurated a new cargo facility at Maputo International Airport (MPM) in Mozambique, marking a significant expansion of its operations in Africa. The facility enables Menzies to provide high-quality, efficient, and secure cargo handling services to its airline partners, including launch customers Airlink and Qatar Airways.

Beyond basic cargo handling, there's growing potential for value-added services such as integrated cargo solutions and last-mile delivery. With its strong agricultural base, Africa has significant potential in the perishables export market. During an interview with The STAT Trade Times at the Air Cargo Africa event in Nairobi this year, Jessie Brar-Patel, CEO of Fresh Flow Logistics, spoke about the Kenyan flower and perishables market. She noted, “Our road infrastructure is much better than it used to be. Many growers have now invested in extensive cool chain systems and cold storage facilities at their farms. Earlier, they relied on forwarders or Ground Handling Agents (GHAs). Transportation has also improved, with many growers investing in refrigerated trucks.”

Continued investment in cold chain infrastructure could unlock further growth in this sector. Companies like Swissport have already established specialised facilities such as ‘Swissport’s flower corridor,’ a cold-chain innovation that has transformed the transport of fresh-cut flowers from Nairobi to key markets in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East.

The rapid growth of e-commerce across Africa is creating new opportunities for air cargo operators. The continent is expected to surpass half a billion e-commerce users by 2025, according to data from the International Trade Administration. In Kenya, for example, Ndegwa says, “Key growth opportunities include expanding e-commerce logistics, developing secondary airports (Mombasa, Eldoret, Isiolo, and Kisumu), and enhancing value-added services such as integrated cargo solutions and last-mile delivery.”

Collaboration: The path forward for African air cargo
Addressing Africa's air cargo infrastructure challenges requires a collaborative approach among all stakeholders. “Collaboration is essential for the growth and success of air freight in the region. Strong linkages between logistics service providers, airlines, and governments are key to overcoming industry challenges that no single entity can address alone.

For instance, e-commerce presents a major growth opportunity, bridging the gap between manufacturers and consumers. Logistics service providers, who work closely with customers, are well-positioned to relay industry needs to policymakers, driving improvements in service delivery, regulatory frameworks, and overall customer experience,” emphasises Ndegwa.

This recognition of the need for partnership across the air cargo ecosystem is increasingly shaping industry approaches to infrastructure development and operational improvement.

The current fragmentation of regulatory frameworks across different countries creates unnecessary complexity and inefficiency in cross-border air cargo operations. A more harmonised approach, potentially facilitated through regional economic communities like the East African Community or the Economic Community of West African States, could significantly enhance operational efficiency.

While individual companies are implementing their own digital solutions, greater standardisation across the industry would enhance interoperability and efficiency.

The path forward will require sustained investment, innovative thinking, and close collaboration among all stakeholders. Those who successfully navigate these challenges will be well-positioned to capitalise on Africa's growing role in global trade and commerce in the decades ahead.