President Paul Kagame has made a call for lowering the high cost of air travel across Africa, stating that flying should not remain a luxury reserved for the rich. Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Aviation Africa Summit in Kigali, Kagame underscored the need for a more inclusive and dynamic aviation sector—one that fuels economic growth, connects people, and embraces innovation. ALSO READ: Africa's first self-flying air taxi to be launched in Kigali As African skies become busier and its middle class expands, the President suggested that affordable air travel is not just a convenience, but a necessity for the continent’s development. “For Africa, the vision is very clear: To invest in a stronger and more dynamic aviation sector as a necessary building block for economic growth,” Kagame told hundreds of delegates who gathered at Kigali Convention Centre for the two-day summit. “With a growing middle class and increasing tourism, demand for air travel will only get stronger. The numbers speak for themselves. In the coming years, our senior traffic on our continent is expected to double,” he said. PICTORIAL: Kagame graces launch of self-flying electric air taxi At the continental level, the President pointed out that efforts have been made to open countries’ skies through initiatives such as the Single Africa Air Transport Market. The African Continental Free Trade Area is also a key enabler of prosperity, he added. “Rwanda continues to play its part by putting in place conducive regulations and policies, and we encourage others to do the same. For example, we have removed visa restrictions for all African citizens,” he said. ALSO READ: Kagame on why Africa must liberalise airspace Regarding infrastructure and logistics investments, he said Rwanda's national carrier is also expanding its fleet, despite high operational costs and infrastructure gaps on the continent. “This makes the movement of people and the capital more expensive than it should. Travel should not only be for the rich,” Kagame said. He underscored the need for working more closely with the continent’s institutions, including the African Union and entities responsible for aviation growth so that they are strengthened and ensure they are fit for purpose, to play a central role in achieving the vision of 'one sky' and free movement on the continent. “The bottom line is that we can achieve much more if we work together. We have all the resources and capabilities we need,” he said. ALSO READ: Young women challenged to explore careers in aviation The President said that empowering women and girls to pursue careers in the aviation industry must also be a priority for the continent. He observed that if implemented successfully, these frameworks can create more jobs and a stronger foundation for innovation. Rwanda is hosting the Aviation Africa Summit for the fourth time. Kagame indicated that since its inception, the summit has been pivotal in showing how much growth Africa's aviation industry has experienced in a very short time. Technology and partnerships Bringing together top aviation industry players, policymakers, regulators, and innovators, the event is held under the theme Collaborating to unlock Africa's growth – How can Africa deliver a sustainable aviation industry? It has attracted some 2,000 delegates and 120 exhibitors, including aerospace and aviation companies. ALSO READ: Africa's first self-flying air taxi to be launched in Kigali Kagame said the African aviation industry has huge potential and that partnerships would be useful to accelerate growth. “I want to single out Rwanda's partnerships with Zipline, which is represented here today. About a decade ago, we began working closely together to use drones for the delivery of urgent blood supplies to health facilities across our country. This technology does not only save time; it also saves lives,” he stated. “Our cooperation has been very successful, and together we are exploring how to extend it to urban deliveries. This is the foundation of key industries of the future, like e-commerce,” he observed. ALSO READ: Rwanda, Zipline ink $61 million deal to scale operations Meanwhile, the President also attended the launch, in Kigali on September 4, of the first self-flying air taxi take to the skies, thanks to collaboration between the government and the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). “We are very happy to be part of this demonstration and look forward to seeing what will come next,” Kagame said.
