African airlines should join forces to meet new fuel requirement

President William Ruto officially opens the 24th COMESA Summit of Heads of State and governments at KICC in Nairobi.[PCS]

President William Ruto is entirely justified in asserting that "Africa's strength lies in its openness and unity." As the newly appointed chairman of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa, he rightly emphasises that true continental integration must encompass the unrestricted movement of people, goods and services across national borders.

What remains unstated is that, without meaningful continental integration in the near future, Africa risks facing an existential crisis. This is particularly evident in the aviation sector, where the continent continues to lag behind the rest of the world. The industry's fragmentation across African nations prevents airlines from benefiting from economies of scale. According to data from the International Air Transport Association, African carriers recorded an average net profit margin of merely 1 per cent last year - compared to 4 per cent in Europe and 8 per cent in the Middle East.