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By Chinelo Obogo
An aviation consultant, Amos Akpan, has said that East African airlines are better prepared for the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) than their West African counterparts.
While giving his assessment of Nigeria’s commitment to SAATM and the challenges hindering its implementation, Akpan, in an interview with Daily Sun, explained that even though Nigeria has been more proactive in implementing SAATM compared to other African nations, East African airlines like Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways have strategically positioned themselves to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the initiative.
He noted that the readiness of East African carriers cannot be compared with the struggles faced by West African airlines, which lag behind in operational efficiency and regional integration.
“From my current observation, East African airlines seem to be more prepared for SAATM than their West African counterparts, with Ethiopian and Kenyan airlines being prime examples,” Akpan said.
Launched in 2018 by the African Union (AU), SAATM aims to liberalise air transport across Africa, foster economic integration, boost trade, and improve connectivity. However, Akpan stated that progress has been slow and that none of the countries that are signatories have shown the level of commitment required to realise SAATM’s objectives. He said despite this, Nigeria has taken more steps than most African nations in implementing the initiative.
Akpan pointed out that Nigeria allows flights beyond a single entry point, which enables foreign carriers to exploit traffic freedom rights more than in other African countries. For instance, African airlines can operate flights into Lagos and transport cargo or passengers directly to destinations within West or Central Africa, such as Freetown, Monrovia, or Kinshasa. But Nigerian carriers face serious restrictions when operating in other African countries. They are often required to form partnerships with local operators or register as businesses in those countries before they can exploit traffic rights.
“No Nigerian carrier is allowed to fly into any African country and carry cargo or passengers directly to another point. However, in Nigeria, other carriers can do so freely. For example, an African airline can come into Lagos, pick up cargo, and transport it directly to Freetown or any city in West or Central Africa. Meanwhile, a Nigerian airline would need to register in Sierra Leone or another country and partner with local operators to gain similar rights. Can a Nigerian carrier fly to Addis Ababa, Nairobi, or Accra, pick up cargo or passengers, and fly directly to another destination without routing through Lagos first? No. This is the current practice, and it highlights the challenges Nigerian airlines face,” he said.
Despite these hurdles, Akpan said that Nigeria is ahead of other SAATM member countries but that much work remains to be done. He said restrictive Civil Aviation regulations and Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASA) are major obstacles to SAATM’s success and that these regulations which are often enacted to protect national interests end up creating barriers to seamless air travel across Africa. He also highlighted the high operational costs in Africa as a significant challenge.
Akpan called for the restructuring or dismantling of cumbersome regulations and a reduction in operational costs to make air transport more viable across the continent. He said that addressing these issues is very crucial for the successful implementation of SAATM.
“The cost of fuel and navigational fees per mile in some regions is higher than the total operational costs per mile for the same aircraft in other parts of the world. Excessive taxes and charges on cargo and flights, often imposed as backdoor royalties, further strain the viability of air transport operations.
“There are too many barriers created by independent countries’ Civil Aviation regulations and BASA. Regional aviation blocs within Africa are becoming blocks to inter-regional flight penetration. The high costs of operations, excessive fees, and restrictive practices need to be addressed to make SAATM a reality,” he said.
