The African Development Bank Group has announced a USD7 billion initiative aimed at boosting aviation connectivity and infrastructure development across Africa. Launched on February 25 at the Airlines, Capital and Connectivity Forum in Nairobi, the program is part of the bank’s broader Integrated Aviation Transformation Programme (IATP).
Over the next five years, the initiative will focus on providing aircraft financing, supporting cargo and airport projects, and modernizing airline fleets. The program includes fleet renewal and aircraft leasing solutions to enable carriers to acquire fuel-efficient aircraft on competitive terms, fostering sustainability and efficiency in the continent’s aviation sector.
The IATP is built around three main pillars: policy, safety, and capacity building; airline and fleet modernization supported by a pan-African financing platform; and infrastructure, connectivity, and logistics development. Additionally, a second financing mechanism, the Pooled Regional Sukuk Platform, is designed to support airport and airspace improvements.
The bank emphasized that the initiative aligns with the African Union’s USD30 billion Continental Aviation Infrastructure Investment Plan and seeks to address sector fragmentation. It aims to accelerate the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market and promote trade integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area, ultimately fostering economic growth and regional connectivity across Africa.
