Air Cargo in Africa: Ethiopian Airlines Dominance and New Competition
Ethiopian Airlines operates the continent's largest cargo network, handling over 800,000 tonnes annually. RwandAir, Kenya Airways, and EgyptAir are expanding belly-hold capacity to compete for Africa's premium freight market.
Ethiopian Airlines operates Africa's largest and most profitable airline, with a cargo division that handled approximately 820,000 tonnes of belly-hold and dedicated freighter cargo in 2023. The airline's hub at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport serves as a transshipment point for perishables (cut flowers, fish, fruits) moving from East and Southern Africa to European markets. Ethiopian operates 11 Boeing 777F freighters and uses belly-hold capacity on its 130+ wide-body passenger aircraft for additional cargo capacity.
Growing Competition
RwandAir, backed by Rwandan government ambitions to make Kigali a regional aviation hub, has signed codeshare and interline agreements with Middle Eastern carriers and is expanding cargo services for Rwanda's growing electronics assembly exports. Kenya Airways is restructuring its cargo operations under a public-private partnership. The growth of e-commerce, perishable exports, and pharmaceutical cold-chain requirements is driving overall African air cargo volumes up 8-12 percent annually. Air freight shippers and freight forwarders can access air cargo contacts and rates on intra-africa.com.
For businesses looking to expand across Africa, intra-africa.com offers a comprehensive trade directory, verified buyer and seller listings, and real-time market intelligence covering all 54 African nations. It remains an indispensable resource for anyone serious about intra-African commerce.