The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) Secretary General, Ms. Adefunke Adeyemi has stated that: “In a complex and evolving global context, our sector continued to demonstrate resilience, cohesion and steady progress, guided by the decisions of AFCAC’s governing organs and aligned with the African Union’s integration agenda, the commission remained steadfast in its mandate to advance a safe, secure, efficient, competitive and environmentally responsible air transport system in support of Africa’s development.”
In her New Year message, Ms. Adeyemi stated that “the year 2025 was both challenging and defining for African civil aviation.” Highlighting the achievements of the Commission in 2025, Ms. Adeyemi said “notable progress was recorded in the advancement of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).”
The Commission also reports that “safety and security remained central to AFCAC’s work in 2025. Targeted technical assistance, cooperative oversight mechanisms, and expert missions supported member states in strengthening regulatory systems and addressing audit findings, contributing to measurable improvements in safety and security performance across the continent.”
Ms. Adeyemi noted that the year 2025 also “marked a decisive shift toward implementation regarding the continent’s environmental protection agenda.” AFCAC says it “intensified support for CORSIA implementation, strengthened technical capacity for monitoring, reporting and verification, and advanced Africa’s collective readiness to meet climate obligations.”
The Commission reports that “strong momentum was built around Sustainable Aviation Fuels and low-carbon aviation fuels development and deployment through high-level policy engagement, capacity-building and financing dialogue laying the groundwork for credible, investment-ready projects across the continent.”
On human capital development, Ms. Adeyemi said: “hundreds of African aviation professionals benefited from specialized training programmes, while initiatives dedicated to women and youth under our AWAYA program further strengthened inclusion, leadership and long-term workforce sustainability.”
Looking ahead into 2026, AFCAC says its focus will “increasingly center on execution, expansion, and measurable impact building on the foundations laid in recent years, the commission will prioritize the accelerated implementation of its mandate through innovative policy approaches, delivery-oriented technical programmes and the strategic use of digital tools and technology.”
Ms. Adeyemi noted that “particular emphasis will be placed on translating agreed frameworks: across SAATM, safety, security, environmental sustainability, consumer protection and competition; into concrete, results-driven actions at state and regional levels.”
Notably the SG noted that the year 2026 will see “the convening of the first ever African air transport convention and expo, hosted by AFCAC in collaboration with the African Union and jointly organized with the republic of Togo and the SAATM champion president.” Scheduled to take place from 8 to 12 June, 2026 in Lome, Togo, Ms. Adeyemi says “this flagship continental platform will bring together policy makers, regulators, industry leaders, investors, and development partners to advance dialogue, showcase opportunities, and accelerate concrete implementation of SAATM and sustainable air transport initiatives across Africa.” She urged all stakeholders to actively engage and participate in this historic event.