At the 10th Aviation Africa Summit, held at the Sarit Expo Centre on September 9 and 10, 2026, RwandAir chief executive Yvonne Makolo said governments, civil aviation authorities and airlines needed fixed deadlines for implementing the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). She said the industry needed to move beyond talking and signing and deliver implementation.
AFRAA reported that African seat capacity rose 8.8% year on year in August 2026, with intra-African capacity up 10.5%. ICAO reported that SAATM counted 38 African Union member states, representing more than 80% of intra-African traffic. ICAO also reported intra-African connectivity rising from 14.5% to 23%, and African operators launching 108 new routes between September 2022 and April 2025. Kenya Airways and RwandAir agreed to extend their codes to destinations beyond their respective hubs.
