Airports Council International (ACI) Africa Secretary General, Mr. Ali Tounsi at the African Air Transport Convention & Expo 2026 sat with the Aviation & Allied Business Journal team to discuss Africa’s untapped aviation potential, high travel costs, taxes and charges, airline sustainability, airport investment, digitalisation and the need for data-driven route development.
Q: How would you describe the situation in the African aviation industry and what are your major preoccupations at ACI Africa?
A: Let’s start by the situation of the industry in Africa. As I said today in the conference, Africa still represents only a very small share of global air traffic, around 2.8% in 2025, despite having approximately 18% of the world’s population. That tells us immediately that the potential for aviation development in Africa is enormous, but that we are still facing significant structural challenges.
One of the biggest challenges is the cost of air travel. Flying within Africa remains expensive, and connectivity between African countries is still insufficient. In some cases, travelling between two African countries can require connecting through Europe or the Middle East. This is clearly not sustainable if we want aviation to support trade, tourism, investment and regional integration.
There is also a broader issue concerning the way aviation is sometimes perceived. Air transport is still too often considered a service primarily for higher-income travellers and, consequently, an easy sector to tax. We need to change this mindset. Aviation is not a luxury; it is an essential means of transport and a catalyst for economic and social development. Excessive taxes, levies and charges ultimately increase the cost of travel, constrain demand and limit connectivity.
There has certainly been progress in African aviation, but not at the pace we need. Our objective should be to make air transport safer, more accessible, better connected and more affordable for African citizens.
This is precisely where ACI Africa is positioning itself. Since 2026, we have embarked on a new strategic direction. We are progressively moving beyond the traditional role of an association to become an organisation that also provides practical solutions to African airports. Our objective is to help airports become safer, more efficient, environmentally responsible and, importantly, financially sustainable. Airports cannot invest in infrastructure, technology, safety or human capital unless they are economically viable.
Human capital development is therefore one of our major priorities. Through the African Airports Development Programme and our other capacity-building initiatives, we provide training and technical assistance at different levels across the continent
We are also placing particular emphasis on women and young professionals in aviation. Through our ElevateHer initiative, we are creating opportunities for women working within African airports through scholarships, training and professional development. The first courses are scheduled to begin later this year in partnership with SODEXAM. We are also working with ACI World and other partners on initiatives targeting the next generation of aviation professionals.
Another major priority is air connectivity and route development. We want African airports to become more proactive in developing their own markets rather than simply waiting for airlines to approach them. Through our route-development initiative, airports are provided with the analytical tools to assess their markets, identify viable routes, build credible business cases and engage airlines with evidence-based proposals.
We successfully conducted the pilot phase in Lusaka, Zambia, and we are now expanding the programme to other African markets, including Zimbabwe and Benin. This represents an important change because airports can increasingly understand their own market potential, identify opportunities and actively participate in creating new connectivity.
Airport certification and operational safety are equally important. ACI Africa has developed a comprehensive approach to support airports throughout their certification journey. We are no longer simply identifying gaps. We assess the airport, identify what needs to be improved and then work alongside the airport to implement solutions and progress towards certification.
Digitalisation is an important part of this approach. One of our major projects is the development of a digital platform for airport operations and certification, called SACOS. The platform covers areas such as Safety Management Systems, inspections, audits, reporting, corrective actions and day-to-day operational monitoring. Airport personnel can use the system through a computer, tablet or mobile device while conducting inspections in the field. They can identify a gap, record it digitally, assign corrective actions and monitor it through to closure. The same platform supports the broader certification process. We have completed the testing phase and are now moving into implementation in cooperation with our technology partner.
Finally, our conferences and events remain an important platform for bringing the African airport community together. We recently concluded a very successful event in Luanda, Angola, attended by around 500 delegates, and we are now preparing for our next major gathering in Abuja, Nigeria in September, hosted by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. Preparations are progressing very well with FAAN under the leadership of its Managing Director, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, and her team. The venue and programme have been finalised, the event website and registration are operational, and we are expecting strong participation from airports, airlines, governments, business partners, exhibitors and the media. Abuja will provide an important opportunity to discuss many of the issues I have mentioned, particularly the role of airports as pillars of Africa’s economic development, the impact of taxes and charges on connectivity and affordability, digital transformation, sustainability, safety and the future competitiveness of African aviation.
Q: Now on the taxes and charges. You tried to make a distinction during the conference, because it looks more like when you talk about taxes and charges, it’s pointing towards the airport and there’s that friction. Can you throw more light on this?
A: There is indeed a lot of confusion when we talk about taxes and charges, and it is very important to distinguish between the two.
Airport charges are not taxes. An airport provides infrastructure and services to airlines and passengers, and airport charges are intended to recover the costs associated with providing, operating, maintaining and developing those facilities and services.
For example, on the air side, the airport has to provide and maintain the runway, taxiways, apron, aircraft parking, lighting systems and other operational infrastructure. On the passenger side, it provides terminals, security infrastructure, baggage facilities and many other services necessary for passengers and airlines to operate.
The airport therefore charges for the use of these facilities and services. These charges are directly related to the operation and development of the airport.
Taxes and government levies are different. In many African countries, aviation is unfortunately seen as a convenient source of government revenue. Different taxes and levies may therefore be added to the passenger ticket, for tourism development, infrastructure funds or other government purposes that may have little or no direct relationship with the provision of aviation services.
The difficulty is that some of these taxes and levies may be collected through the airline or the airport, so passengers naturally see them as part of the cost associated with using the airport. But collecting the money does not mean that the airport keeps it. In many cases, the airport is simply acting as a collection mechanism, and the money is transferred to the government or another public body.
This is where much of the misunderstanding comes from.
When people look at the final price of an airline ticket, they may see a significant amount described collectively as “taxes and charges” and assume that all of it is going to the airport. That is simply not the case.
So, the distinction we are trying to make at ACI Africa is very clear: airport charges pay for airport infrastructure and services; taxes and government levies are imposed by governments for fiscal or other public-policy purposes.
This distinction is particularly important in Africa because excessive taxation of air transport contributes directly to the high cost of travel. If we want to stimulate traffic, improve connectivity and make aviation more accessible, we need to look carefully at these taxes and levies rather than simply putting pressure on airport charges.
At the same time, airports must be allowed to recover the legitimate costs of providing safe, secure and efficient infrastructure. If airports cannot recover those costs, they cannot maintain their facilities, invest in new infrastructure or improve the quality and safety of their services.
So, our message is not that there should be no discipline on costs. Our message is that we must distinguish clearly between the cost of providing airport services and taxation imposed on aviation, because they are fundamentally different things.
Q: In terms of advocacy, is there anything ACI Africa is doing to educate governments to say these taxes are actually disincentivizing air travel because we believe that when more people fly, airports will make money, even the airlines will make more money. And then your customers on the non-aeronautical side are going to make money.
A: Yes, absolutely. Advocacy is a very important part of ACI Africa’s role, because affordability is one of the fundamental challenges facing aviation development on our continent.
But I think we need to approach this discussion based on facts and look at the entire cost of air travel, rather than focusing on only one component.
Airport charges represent only one element of the overall ticket price. There are also government taxes and levies, airline operating costs, fuel, aircraft financing and maintenance, staff costs and, of course, the airline fare itself. If we genuinely want to understand why flying within Africa is so expensive, we have to examine the complete value chain.
Take a relatively short intra-African journey. In some markets, a flight of one or two hours can cost several hundred dollars and sometimes considerably more. In certain circumstances, passengers can pay as much for a short journey within Africa as they would for a much longer international flight.
Airport charges are generally established through a structured process and are linked to the infrastructure and services provided by the airport. Government taxes and levies are also normally predetermined. The airline fare, however, is dynamic and can vary considerably depending on demand, capacity, competition, fuel costs, operating conditions and other commercial factors.
This is why ACI Africa is advocating for a more comprehensive and transparent discussion about affordability. We should not look at airports, airlines or governments in isolation. We need to understand how each component contributes to the final price paid by the passenger.
At the same time, we are engaging governments to demonstrate that excessive taxation of aviation can ultimately be counterproductive. Increasing taxes may generate additional revenue per passenger in the short term, but if the overall cost of travel becomes too high, fewer people will fly.
The opposite can also be true. If we can reduce unnecessary fiscal burdens, stimulate competition and connectivity, and make air travel more affordable, more people will travel. Airlines can carry more passengers, airports generate more aeronautical and non-aeronautical activity, tourism grows, businesses benefit and governments ultimately receive greater economic and fiscal benefits from the increased activity.
For ACI Africa, the objective is ultimately not to defend airport charges for the sake of defending them. It is to ensure that airports remain financially sustainable while, at the same time, working with our partners to make aviation more affordable, more competitive and accessible to many more Africans.
Q: This is a recurring situation over time. Is there any way that airlines and airports are ever going to come together to resolve this?
A: Absolutely. In fact, airports and airlines already cooperate extensively because we are part of the same air transport ecosystem. Airports need airlines, and airlines need airports. Neither can succeed in isolation.
If you look at safety and security, for example, there is generally no fundamental disagreement. We have the same objective: safe and secure air transport. Where differences tend to arise is on the economic side, particularly around costs, charges and how the financial burden of providing aviation infrastructure should be shared.
And here we need to understand that airports and airlines sometimes look at the same issue from different perspectives.
Take Nigeria as an example. Nigeria has a large network of airports, but only a small number generate sufficient traffic to be financially viable on their own. As Mrs Kuku explained, the stronger-performing airports therefore have an important role within the wider network. From an airline’s perspective, the question may be: If I operate into Lagos, why should the charges I pay contribute, directly or indirectly, to supporting infrastructure elsewhere?
I understand that commercial perspective. But from the perspective of the airport operator and the government, the issue is broader.
A national airport network is not necessarily developed purely on the basis of the profitability of each individual airport. Some airports are essential for regional connectivity, economic development, territorial accessibility, emergency services and social needs, even where traffic volumes are not sufficient for those airports to be commercially viable on a stand-alone basis.
This is particularly important in Africa.
In many countries, airports were originally built by governments as strategic national infrastructure and subsequently entrusted to airport operators for management. A government may decide that a particular city or region needs an airport because it requires connectivity and access to the national economy, not because that airport will necessarily generate a financial return
This is where I believe airports, airlines, governments and organisations such as ACI and IATA need to continue the dialogue. We may not always agree on the economics, but we ultimately share the same objective: a sustainable aviation system that provides connectivity while remaining affordable and financially viable.
Secretary General, Airport Council International (ACI) Africa, Mr. Ali Tounsi
Q: Mr. Tounsi, we are seeing a lot of private investments in African airports. Now, as an airport association, which one comes first more passengers and then you have more money, or more money and then little passengers coming into the airport?
A: I think we have to start with the reality of the African airport market.
Many airports in Africa handle fewer than one million passengers per year. At that level of traffic, achieving financial sustainability can be very difficult because an airport has significant fixed costs, regardless of whether it handles 200,000 passengers or two million passengers.
You still need a runway. You need safety and security systems. You need firefighters, operational personnel, maintenance, utilities, equipment and terminal facilities. All of these have to be maintained whether you have ten flights a day or two flights a day.
So, the first question should not be: do we invest first or wait for passengers? The first question should be: what does the market realistically justify?
This is where data is extremely important.
Before building a new airport or significantly expanding an existing one, you need a robust traffic forecast, a clear understanding of the catchment area, tourism and business potential, airline demand and the wider economic development of the region.
If the analysis shows that you need infrastructure for one million passengers, you should not necessarily build immediately for five million passengers simply because you expect the traffic to come. Overbuilding creates additional capital and operating costs, and somebody ultimately has to pay for them.
And if those costs are then recovered through higher charges or additional taxes, you can create the opposite effect: instead of stimulating traffic, you make travel more expensive and potentially suppress demand.
This is why we advocate for phased and demand-driven airport development.
Private investment can play an important role here, but private capital does not remove the need for a sound business case. A private investor also needs to understand where the return will come from, particularly at smaller airports where aeronautical revenues alone may not be sufficient.
And this is where the airport business model is changing.
Increasingly, we should not look at an airport simply as a runway and a terminal. The airport can become an economic platform
There are opportunities around commercial activities, retail, hospitality, logistics, cargo, real estate, tourism and other airport-related development. In some markets, these wider activities can complement aeronautical revenues and strengthen the overall investment proposition.
This is particularly relevant for Africa because many of our airports will not become financially sustainable simply by increasing passenger charges.
So private-sector participation can be very positive when it brings capital, expertise, commercial discipline and innovation. But the concession or investment model has to be properly structured. The interests of the government, the airport operator, the investor, airlines and passengers all have to be considered.
Most importantly, investment must follow realistic traffic and economic fundamentals.
So, for me, it is not simply a question of money first or passengers first. It is about developing the right infrastructure, at the right time, for the right market and creating a business model that allows the airport to grow together with its traffic.
Q: Finally, on Data. You mentioned that airports have been doing more marketing by themselves. How are you getting these data because everybody says there are no data in Africa?
A: I would challenge the idea that there is no aviation data in Africa. The data exists; the challenge is sometimes its availability, consistency and how effectively we use it.
At ACI, we receive traffic data from our airport members on a regular basis, and this contributes to a very substantial database covering airports in Africa and around the world. We therefore have a strong picture of airport traffic, i.e., passenger volumes, aircraft movements, cargo and how individual markets are developing over time.
For an airport, investor or organisation looking at the African aviation market, this is already an important starting point because you cannot make sound investment or commercial decisions without understanding the traffic fundamentals.
But for route development, we go further.
If an airport wants to identify a potential new route and convince an airline to operate it, total passenger numbers alone are not sufficient. You need to understand where passengers are coming from, where they are travelling to, how they are currently connecting, the size of the potential market, the economic and tourism profile of the destination, and whether there is sufficient demand to sustain the route. This requires combining airport traffic statistics with specialised aviation, market and economic data.
That is precisely the approach we are developing with our RouteInsight programme. We bring these different sources of information together and transform the data into business intelligence that an airport can actually use.
The objective is not simply to produce statistics. The objective is to allow an airport to go to an airline and say: here is the market, here is the passenger demand, here is how those passengers are travelling today, here is the economic potential, and here is why this route can work.
And for ACI Africa, this is becoming increasingly important because if we want African airports to become more commercially oriented and proactive in developing connectivity, data has to be at the centre of their decision-making.