Angola, 29 October 2025 – The African Union (AU) has announced a $30 billion investment plan to modernize aviation infrastructure across the continent under the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) initiative.
Speaking at the Third Financing Summit for Africa’s Infrastructure Development in Luanda on Wednesday, AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, Lerato Mataboge, said the plan seeks to strengthen continental air connectivity and support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063.
According to the organization, the strategy targets key investments including $10 billion for airports and aerodromes and $8 billion for communication, navigation, and meteorological systems.
The AU plans to mobilize $10 billion in public finance to leverage an additional $20 billion in private and institutional investment, in partnership with development finance institutions and AUDA-NEPAD.
The initiative follows a Continental Aviation Infrastructure Gap Analysis conducted with the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the World Bank, which estimated Africa’s aviation sector will require US$25–30 billion over the next decade. Passenger traffic is projected to grow from 160 million in 2024 to nearly 500 million by 2050.
The modernization plan will also integrate digital airspace management technologies such as Airport Collaborative Decision-Making (A-CDM) and System-Wide Information Management (SWIM), while incorporating renewable energy systems at airports to attract green financing and support climate goals.
Mataboge emphasized that aviation is “a strategic engine of continental integration and economic transformation,” adding that all new infrastructure will be designed to meet global sustainability standards.
The Luanda summit brought together transport ministers from Zimbabwe and Rwanda, senior aviation officials from Morocco, Ethiopian Airlines, TAAG Angola Airlines, and representatives from the World Bank and European Commission, who underscored the need for coordinated investment in Africa’s aviation modernization.