Hope in the Skies, but will it land?

In a post intended to ridicule Africa’s dysfunctional air transport sector on Africa Day, Kenyan journalist Larry Madowo shared a Kenya Airways itinerary from Nairobi to Abidjan that cost more than a flight from Nairobi to Atlanta, USA. On the same day, Nigeria quietly launched a dedicated air cargo corridor connecting West Africa to Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa in what could become a cornerstone to Africa’s economic integration through the AfCFTA framework. These events are evident of an Air transport sector that needs work and urgently so to deal with trade inefficiencies.

African nations are stuck in a discussion of a borderless future where goods, services, and opportunities seamlessly move across the continent as they currently do with Europe and America. The Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) has been described as the largest trade area by membership and is central to this vision. However, many Africans still see it as just that, vision although Nigeria’s new cargo initiative is a rare and concrete action with similar moves likely to give trade the wings it needs. However, while this deserves applause, Africa should not mistake a first flight for a full journey.

The Air is Only the Beginning

The inaugural flight flagged from Lagos via Uganda airlines promises to cut export costs by up to 75% which is a big deal not just for Nigeria. The practical benefits of the initiative especially for small and medium-sized exporters are compelling considering the current high costs of doing business. Shipping costs between African nations can be inexplicably more costly than shipping to and from China or Europe. Nigeria’s new approach could however transform trade in time-sensitive sectors like fresh produce, fashion, and pharmaceuticals.

“On paper at least, a 75% reduction in export costs is revolutionary for SMEs that struggle with high costs of getting finished garments from Nairobi to Lagos with the move also likely to open more markets.”

However, while it sets a good precedence for Africa’s air transport, it cannot work in isolation. Even when air cargo is fast, trade ecosystems are slow when the regulatory gears grind. The concern for traders is on what happens when planes land, whether customs processes will be harmonized across the target countries, if digital systems will talk to each other, and whether border agents can interpret AfCFTA rules the same way.

For the initiative to trigger lasting change and inspire similar actions among AfCFTA member states, regional cooperation beyond the tarmac must take root and thrive among the involved countries. East and Southern African governments must rise with matching initiatives such as through complementary cargo corridors, simplified border procedures, and investments in cold chain logistics. These are necessary to prevent the route from becoming another well-intentioned project choked in bureaucratic delays and protectionist reflexes.

Africa also has a history of ribbon-cutting events that never grew into sustainable systems raising the risk of symbolism overtaking substance. It must be remembered that the success of the air corridor cannot be measured by a launch ceremony but through its reliability six months or a year from now. Thus, will businesses still be using the approach or will it remain a political souvenir with no afterlife?

A Trader’s Lens into Market Stalls

Across the involved nations, entrepreneurs certainly watched the news with excitement. On paper at least, a 75% reduction in export costs is revolutionary for SMEs that struggle with high costs of getting finished garments from Nairobi to Lagos with the move also likely to open more markets. Moreover, the initiative promises predictability which has for long been a missing link.

Intra-African trade remains a gamble at best. Shipments are often delayed by arcane border procedures or stranded at ports due to poor cargo coordination attempts. This leads to order cancelations and shrinking margins while consumers pivot towards more efficient Western and Asian markets because of the associated logistical sanity.

The corridor, developed in partnership with Uganda Airlines, is part of a wider government effort to reduce the high costs and long delivery timelines that have historically plagued intra-African trade. Image: Tribune Online

What traders need from the new corridor is therefore not just a cheaper route but a dependable one. A route where cargo actually gets where it meant to on time, intact, and without generating additional costs in bribes and bureaucratic imperatives. It is particularly important that this initiative comes with a service-level agreement and commitment as opposed to a political promise.

While the success of the corridor could inspire similar initiatives, it could also define what kinds of exports make sense for Africa’s landscape. Perishables like flowers, fruits, or seafood could now reach regional markets in hours rather than days. It would be merrier with artists, designers, and craft-makers joining the continental supply chain while triggering new partnerships between East and West Africa business people for mutual benefit by combining resources, ideas, and markets.

Underlined Continental Stakes

The African Union has charted a path to revolutionize air transport through the Single Air Transport Market (SAATM), a sister initiative to the AfCFTA. The Nigerian bold step puts pressure on others to follow suit on this accord while setting a precedence for the AfCFTA to pursue efficiencies through infrastructure, logistics, and real market access. For Nigeria therefore, this is both a trade innovation and a soft power move.

This is a clarion call to African policymakers and regional blocs like the EAC and COMESA among others to adopt a hands-on approach for better trade outcomes. The future of trade has to depart negotiation boardrooms into cargo manifests, airfreight schedules, and real partnerships between local business people, logistical firms, and customers among other players. While one air corridor won’t dismantle decades of dysfunctional trade, it can set of a domino effect if matched by political will, private sector adoption, and cross-border trust.

A Challenge and a Charge

Certainly, Nigeria is showing Africa the best way for cargo to leave the runway and other African nations must take heed and keep flying it. This calls for investments on customs modernization, cargo tracking, dispute resolution mechanisms, and public-private partnerships in serving exporters of all sizes.

Entrepreneurs across African are ready and have been ready for such trade imperatives. Businesses want to trade with each other across borders. They want to sell their products not just in New York and London but also in Lusaka, Kampala, and Cotonou. Nigeria has opened a door. Now it’s up to the rest of the continent to walk—or fly—through it.

These are the writer’s own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of Liberty Sparks. Do you want to publish in this space? Contact our editors at [email protected] for further clarification.