Africa Must Invest in Aviation Infrastructure, Skills, Connectivity — Hailegebrel Tadese Seboka By Raymond Enoch

Africa must move beyond investing in aircraft and airports to develop the skilled workforce, connectivity and commercial ecosystem needed to sustain aviation growth, former Ethiopian Airlines Country Manager,Switzerland, Hailegebrel Tadese Seboka, has said.

Seboka, who has more than 18 years of international aviation and mobility experience across Africa and Europe, including nearly 15 years with Ethiopian Airlines, said Africa’s aviation growth could not be measured by the number of aircraft operated by its airlines.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Raymond Enoch for Aviation in Focus, a Global Television platform Abuja, Nigeria, Seboka said aircraft would only generate economic value when supported by efficient airports, adequate financing, foreign-exchange access, skilled professionals, maintenance capabilities, ground-handling services, technology, effective regulation and commercially viable markets.

He said Africa had made notable progress in aviation, citing the emergence of airlines capable of competing in international markets, improvements in airport infrastructure and growing passenger demand.

However, he maintained that the continent remained some distance from realising its full aviation potential.

“An aircraft is only productive when the ecosystem around it is ready,” Seboka said.

According to him, the continent must move beyond fleet expansion and develop the wider ecosystem required to sustain aviation growth.

He identified human capital as one of the most critical areas requiring urgent attention, warning that Africa’s projected aviation expansion would require a new generation of pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers, cabin crew, airport professionals, aviation managers, data specialists, safety professionals and commercial experts.

Seboka called for stronger partnerships between airlines, governments, universities, aviation academies and technical institutions to ensure that training programmes reflect the future needs of the industry.

He said aviation education should also expand beyond traditional disciplines to incorporate digital technology, artificial intelligence, data analytics, sustainability, cybersecurity, financial management and commercial strategy.

“Africa has a young population, which is one of its greatest advantages. But demographic potential becomes an economic advantage only when young people have access to the right education, skills and opportunities,” he said.

Seboka identified inadequate intra-African connectivity as another major obstacle to the continent’s aviation development.

He noted that passengers travelling between some African cities still had to connect through Europe or the Middle East, describing the situation as evidence of the gap between existing demand and commercially viable air connectivity.

He said the next phase of African aviation should focus on capacity, connectivity and capability, encompassing physical infrastructure, sustainable airline networks and the human capital required to operate them.

On the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), Seboka said both initiatives could reinforce each other in driving continental economic integration.

He explained that while AfCFTA seeks to create a more integrated market for African goods and services, such integration would be difficult without efficient movement of people and products across borders.

“SAATM has the potential to provide the connectivity infrastructure for Africa’s economic integration,” he said.

He, however, noted that the success of SAATM would depend largely on implementation.

According to him, the real measure of progress should be whether commitments translate into traffic rights, practical market access, new routes, increased connectivity and commercially sustainable operations.

He cautioned that liberalising markets alone would not guarantee successful airline operations, noting that carriers still required sufficient demand, appropriate infrastructure, competitive costs and sustainable economics.

Seboka therefore urged governments, regulators and airlines to work together to remove unnecessary barriers while creating an environment that allows carriers to operate sustainably.

He described AfCFTA, SAATM and commercially viable airline networks as three interconnected elements of Africa’s economic integration.

“AfCFTA—creating the economic market; SAATM—enabling the aviation connectivity; and commercially viable airline networks—making that connectivity sustainable,” he said.

Reflecting on his career with Ethiopian Airlines, Seboka said the development of new routes and the survival of the airline’s Geneva operation during the COVID-19 pandemic were among his most rewarding experiences.

He was involved in developing and launching new routes and establishing Ethiopian Airlines’ stations in Yaoundé and Geneva, which he said provided practical experience in market analysis, route development, business development, revenue generation and stakeholder management.

Seboka said launching a route required more than simply scheduling flights.

According to him, airlines must understand the market, identify passenger and cargo opportunities, cultivate relationships with governments, airports, regulators, travel partners and corporate customers, and continuously stimulate demand.

He described the COVID-19 pandemic as an even greater test of commercial resilience.

When the pandemic struck, the corporate travel market in Geneva effectively disappeared, while many airlines suspended operations.

Seboka said the airline had to explore alternative revenue streams, particularly cargo and mail, to keep the Geneva operation running.

“We were able to keep the route operating when the conventional passenger market had almost disappeared,” he said.

The experience, he added, demonstrated the importance of commercial creativity, stakeholder cooperation, rapid adaptation and diversified revenue streams.

He said route development should be viewed as a continuous process rather than something that ends when a flight is launched.

“A successful route has to be continuously developed, protected and adapted to changing market conditions,” he said.

Seboka also urged investors to look beyond aircraft financing when considering opportunities in Africa’s aviation sector.

He identified airports, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), aviation training, cargo, technology and digital solutions as areas with significant investment potential.

He called on governments to establish stable, predictable and investment-friendly policies while implementing continental aviation commitments.

Regulators, he said, should maintain strong safety and oversight standards while supporting connectivity, competition and innovation.

Airlines, meanwhile, must improve efficiency, customer experience, technology, partnerships and network planning, with growth anchored on sound commercial fundamentals.

He also advocated greater cooperation among African airlines through strategic partnerships, interline arrangements, codeshares and coordinated connectivity.

According to him, competition remains important, but collaboration could help airlines expand connectivity and provide passengers with greater choice.

Ultimately, he said, the success of African aviation should be measured by how easily, reliably and affordably Africans can travel within the continent.

“If we align policy, infrastructure, investment, education, technology, regulation and commercial discipline, Africa can build an aviation sector capable of supporting its economic ambitions,” Seboka said.

He expressed optimism about the sector’s future, saying a stronger aviation industry would facilitate trade, support tourism, create employment, enable education and bring African markets closer together.

“The opportunity is significant. The responsibility is to make sure that we are properly prepared to capture it,” he said.