
African airlines saw 8.5 per cent year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in 2024, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) full-year analysis of the air cargo sector’s performance based on traffic and capacity data captured in each region worldwide.
On a year-on-year basis in 2024, African airlines saw 8.5 per cent year-on-year demand growth for air cargo; an increased cargo capacity by 13.6 per cent year-on-year achieving a 41.8 per cent cargo load factor (i.e. less than half of the available capacity was taken up by the market.
However, in December 2024 demand fell by -0.9 per cent year-on-year, which was the lowest of all regions and capacity increased by 1.8 percent.
The air cargo sector is a useful barometer of intra-regional and global trade and economic performance. Although air cargo volumes are a fraction of the tonnage carried by sea, road, river and rail, items transported by aircraft are generally high-value items (computer chips, smartphones, tablets, jewellery, documents etc.) and perishables (food, flowers, pharmaceuticals, transplant organs, etc.) while e-commerce also accounts for a steadily increasing segment of the market.
The Director-General of IATA, Willie Walsh, said air cargo was the standout performer in 2024 with airlines moving more air cargo than ever before. “Importantly, it was a year of profitable growth.
Demand, up 11.3 per cent year-on-year, was boosted by particularly strong e-commerce and various ocean shipping restrictions. This combined with airspace restrictions which limited capacity on some key long-haul routes to Asia helped to keep yields at exceptionally high lev – els.
While average yields continued to soften from peaks in 2021-2022 they averaged 39 per cent higher than 2019.” Looking to 2025, IATA estimates growth to moderate to 5.8 per cent, aligned with historical performance.
“Economic fundamentals point to another good year for air cargo—with oil prices on a downward trajectory and trade continuing to grow. There is no doubt, however, that the air cargo industry will be challenged to adapt to unfolding geopolitical shifts.
The first week of the Trump administration demonstrated its strong interest in using tariffs as a policy tool that could bring a double whammy for air cargo—boosting inflation and deflating trade,” said Walsh.