Africa’s air cargo charter market is evolving with rising demand, sector diversification, and infrastructure growth, reinforcing its role as a vital trade and aid lifeline.
Africa's air cargo charter market stands as one of the most distinctive and resilient segments in global aviation, characterised by unique operational demands, diverse cargo requirements, and consistent activity levels that defy typical seasonal patterns. As the continent continues to develop its infrastructure and expand its economic footprint, the charter market has evolved into a critical lifeline connecting remote regions, facilitating trade, and supporting humanitarian efforts across the vast African landscape.
Market dynamics and current demand
The African air cargo charter market presents a compelling narrative of sustained demand driven by factors that distinguish it from other global regions.
IATA’s latest July 2025 air cargo market data shows African carriers recorded the strongest year-on-year growth in cargo load factor (CLF) across all regions, reaching 46.8% (+4.1 percentage points). This marks the highest CLF ever achieved by the region in July.
African carriers sustained the growth momentum from June, recording a 9.4% year-on-year rise in air cargo demand in July, 5.8 percentage points higher than June and the strongest performance since August 2024.
According to Gerhard Coetzee, Vice President Cargo, IMEA, Chapman Freeborn Africa's charter demand remains one of the more dynamic and unique markets globally. “It's less seasonal, more urgency-driven,” he explains. “Projects, humanitarian needs, and limited scheduled services keep the market consistently active compared to other regions.” This assessment underscores the fundamental difference between African charter operations and those in more developed aviation markets, where scheduled services dominate cargo movement.
Africa is a region where, knowledge, reliability and speed really matter and that is exactly where we add value.”
Gerhard Coetzee, Chapman Freeborn
The market's resilience stems from its diverse demand drivers. Unlike regions heavily dependent on manufacturing exports or seasonal consumer goods, Africa's charter market thrives on a complex mix of resource extraction, infrastructure development, humanitarian aid, and increasingly, e-commerce fulfilment. Statista data projects that Africa’s e-commerce market will grow at a CAGR of 7.52% between 2025 and 2030, reaching an estimated value of US$61.78 billion by 2030. This will create new opportunities for charter operators to serve time-sensitive delivery requirements across the continent.
Lyndee du Toit, CEO of Air Charter Service (ACS) Africa, provides additional perspective on the current market conditions: “Different sectors are doing well while others are lower than previous years. e-commerce, for example, is expanding across all parts of Africa, which keeps the volumes up. Other sectors, such as oil and gas, are still lower than previous years.” This sectoral variation highlights the market's complexity and the need for charter operators to maintain flexibility in their service offerings.
Evolving cargo mix and sector diversification
The composition of cargo moving through African charter operations has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, reflecting the continent's evolving economic landscape. While traditional sectors like oil, gas, and mining continue to dominate charter volumes, the market has witnessed substantial diversification into new areas that promise sustained growth.
Coetzee notes a marked shift in cargo types: “Apart from dominating in oil & gas, and mining, we are now seeing more project, infrastructure, aerospace, renewable energy equipment, and consumer goods. The mix is diversifying as supply chains evolve.” This diversification represents both an opportunity and a challenge for charter operators, requiring enhanced capabilities to handle increasingly varied cargo types with different handling, security, and transport requirements.
The growth in renewable energy projects across Africa has created particular demand for specialised charter services. Solar panel installations, wind turbine components, and battery storage systems require careful handling and often involve transportation to remote locations with limited infrastructure. These projects typically operate on tight schedules, making charter services essential for maintaining construction timelines.
Infrastructure development continues to drive substantial charter activity, with projects ranging from telecommunications network expansion to transportation infrastructure improvements. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation has accelerated intra-continental trade, creating demand for reliable logistics solutions to connect markets that were previously underserved.
Humanitarian and government projects maintain their critical role in the African charter market. As Coetzee emphasises, “Humanitarian and relief operations are at the core of our work across the continent. Chapman Freeborn has a long history of supporting NGOs, governments, and UN agencies in delivering aid during emergencies within Africa, from delivering much-needed food and medicine to emergency response and evacuations.”
Astral Aviation has recently supported the Ministry of Health and the Government of Botswana by transporting 36 tonnes of pharmaceuticals on its Boeing 767-200F to aid the State of Public Health Emergency.
Operational challenges and infrastructure constraints
Operating charter services in Africa presents a unique set of challenges that require specialised knowledge, local partnerships, and adaptive operational strategies. The continent's vast geography, varying levels of infrastructure development, and complex regulatory environment create obstacles that operators must navigate skillfully to ensure successful mission completion.
Airport infrastructure remains one of the most significant operational challenges. Many African airports, particularly those serving remote mining operations or rural communities, lack the sophisticated ground handling equipment and cargo processing facilities found at major international hubs. du Toit highlights this challenge: “Overflight and landing permits and a lack of handling equipment can be challenging and something we need to be aware of to try and mitigate risks on the day of the flights.”
The freighter situation in Africa changes all the time. At the moment there seems to not be enough capacity particularly in West and Southern Africa but that allows us an opportunity for more charters to be facilitated.”
Lyndee du Toit, Air Charter Service
Coetzee provides additional detail on these challenges: “Remote airports, infrastructure, and limited ground handling equipment, complex regulations, and security issues are some of the main hurdles. Regulatory processes can also vary greatly between countries, sometimes leading to longer lead times for permits and clearances required; however, with local expertise and strong partnerships is key to overcoming them.”
Building on Coetzee’s observations, du Toit says, “Communication and knowledge of the various role players are key to the success of any operation.”
Hub development and airport infrastructure evolution
The African air cargo landscape is experiencing significant transformation through the development of key hub airports and infrastructure improvements across the continent. Nairobi is the busiest cargo airport on the continent, followed by Cairo and Johannesburg. Other important hubs are Addis Ababa, Casablanca, and Lagos, representing the established network of African cargo processing centres.
du Toit provides insight into emerging opportunities: “Johannesburg and Nairobi are the most established airports in the region. There has been a lot of growth in Addis Ababa and Lagos. Angola and Rwanda, amongst others, have growth plans with new airports close to opening.”
According to the latest data from the Kenyan government, cargo remains a key driver at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), with 398,000 tonnes handled in the 2023/24 financial year, positioning it among the largest airports in sub-Saharan Africa by cargo volume. Cargo is expected to continue playing a central role in the airport’s growth, with volumes projected to more than double to over 740,000 tonnes by 2055.
South Africa’s state-owned airports operator plans to raise about half of the 21.7 billion rand ($1.2 billion) earmarked for infrastructure upgrades over the next year. As part of its flagship projects, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has started preparatory work on a 5.7 billion rand cargo terminal at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport, with completion targeted for 2028–29, according to the latest reports.
The development of these hubs is particularly important for charter operations, as they provide the infrastructure necessary to handle complex cargo types and serve as staging points for onward distribution to more remote destinations.
Aircraft types and capacity considerations
The diversity of cargo requirements in Africa necessitates a broad range of aircraft types, from small cargo aircraft handling express deliveries to massive cargo planes transporting industrial equipment. du Toit explains the comprehensive nature of capacity requirements: “The answer is all of the above. We do small loads from 50 kgs through to 100-tonne loads and specialised aircraft such as the Antonov 124.”
This range reflects the varied nature of African charter operations, where a single operator might handle everything from urgent medical supplies to oversized mining equipment. The flexibility to provide appropriate aircraft for each mission is crucial for success in this market, requiring operators to maintain relationships with a diverse fleet of aircraft operators or maintain multi-type fleets themselves.
du Toit notes that “The freighter situation in Africa changes all the time. At the moment, there seems not to be enough capacity, particularly in West and Southern Africa, but that allows us an opportunity for more charters to be facilitated.”
The limited availability of the aircraft types can create bottlenecks in project timelines and requires careful advance planning.
Growth projections and future outlook
The outlook for Africa's air cargo charter market remains positive despite short-term volatility. IATA predicts cargo volumes will rise 5.8 per cent in 2025, reaching 72.5 million tonnes, with Africa expected to maintain its growth trajectory.
Coetzee projects steady growth driven by fundamental economic factors: “Charter demand will grow steadily, driven by infrastructure projects, intra-Africa trade, and humanitarian needs. Charters will remain vital to connecting underserved regions, several factors will drive this, with continued investment in infrastructure and energy projects growing intra-African trade and the need for reliable logistics solutions in regions underserved by commercial (scheduled) services.”
The implementation of the AfCFTA represents a significant opportunity for charter growth. As trade barriers fall and intra-continental commerce expands, the demand for flexible, reliable cargo transport solutions will increase. Charter services are particularly well-positioned to serve new trade routes that may not initially support scheduled cargo services.
“There are so many opportunities available in the African market. We would love to be part of the change that needs to happen to ensure easy access to permits such as open skies which would facilitate growth across the continent,” says du Toit.
Africa's air cargo charter market represents a unique and vital component of the continent's logistics infrastructure. Success in this market requires specialised knowledge, strong local partnerships, and the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions. “Africa is a region where knowledge, reliability and speed really matter and that is exactly where we add value. Our experience, network, and agility make us the go to partner for connecting Africa with the world,” says Coetzee.
The future of African air cargo charters lies in continued infrastructure development, regulatory harmonisation, and the adoption of digital technologies that can streamline operations and reduce costs.