The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has announced a major breakthrough for African aviation with the full operational deployment of Free Route Airspace (FRA) across the Western and Central Africa (WACAF) region, effective 30 October 2025.
This milestone, following successful trials launched in November 2023, enables airlines to plan and fly more direct User Preferred Routes (UPRs), greatly improving efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability in regional and continental air travel.
With UPRs, airlines can determine the most fuel-efficient and time-saving paths based on real-time conditions rather than fixed traditional routes. This flexibility allows pilots to optimize flights according to factors such as weather and wind patterns, resulting in reduced fuel burn, shorter flight durations, lower operational costs, and significantly decreased carbon emissions.
Afreximbank has supported the FRA initiative since the start of the trial phase in 2023, in alignment with its Memorandum of Understanding with AFRAA, the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Global Air Navigation Plan, and conclusions from the Africa-India (AFI) FRA Planning and Implementation Regional Group. The transition from trial to full deployment follows a collaborative effort between air operators and air navigation service providers (ANSPs), who agreed at a joint workshop in Dakar, Senegal, to conclude the trials and move to full operational status.
“The implementation of Free Route Airspace in the WACAF region is a game-changer for African aviation,” said Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé, AFRAA Secretary General. “This is a testament to what we can achieve through collaboration. By cutting flight times and fuel consumption, we are not only boosting the competitiveness and profitability of our airlines but also making a significant commitment to environmental sustainability. We extend our profound gratitude to Afreximbank and all stakeholders who have journeyed with us for their unwavering commitment to this vision: the Western and Central African Air Navigation Service Providers, ASECNA, GCAA, NAMA, RVA, Roberts FIR, IATA, ICAO, and CANSO.”
Reinforcing this commitment, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development at Afreximbank, noted that efficient, safe, and well-regulated air services are central to advancing intra-African trade, tourism, and connectivity in line with the goals of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She added that Afreximbank remains committed to supporting full SAATM implementation and the growth of an efficient African aviation industry through financing tools, including its aircraft leasing platform and trade facilitation initiatives.
The benefits of the initiative are already evident. Six major African airlines—Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, EGYPTAIR, Royal Air Maroc, RwandAir, and ASKY Airlines—received approval to operate UPRs across 30 major city pairs. These routes are projected to deliver substantial annual savings: more than 1,393 cumulative flight hours, 5,000 metric tonnes of fuel, 16,000 metric tonnes of avoided CO₂ emissions, and an estimated US$15 million in reduced annual fuel costs.
From 30 October 2025, the WACAF airspace becomes fully open for free routes, enabling any airline to plan and operate UPRs. ANSPs in the region have committed to processing new UPR requests within 48 hours, and by mid-2026—after final administrative steps by the 24 WACAF States—approvals will no longer be required for new UPRs.
Building on the success in WACAF, the next phase aims to expand FRA implementation into the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESAF) region in 2026, with a commitment to concluding trials and deploying FRA. Plans are also underway to develop a web-based coordination platform to streamline collaboration between airlines and ANSPs across the continent, positioning Africa for seamless, efficient, and future-ready air navigation.
