Africa’s air cargo market recorded modest growth in July, with demand rising 1.1% year-on-year, significantly below the global growth rate of 3.9%, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
African airlines also expanded cargo capacity by 4.1% during the month, creating a wider gap between available capacity and demand. The region recorded the weakest demand growth among all global markets, highlighting the continuing challenges facing Africa’s air freight sector despite a generally positive outlook for international trade.
Globally, air cargo demand increased 3.9% compared with July 2025, while international demand grew at a faster rate of 4.7%. Capacity rose 1.7% overall and 1.8% for international operations.
IATA Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, Marie Owens Thomsen, said the July figures reflected continued resilience in the air cargo market, although rising costs and geopolitical uncertainty remain significant risks.
“Air cargo demand grew 3.9% year-on-year in July. While all regions recorded growth, airlines in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America accounted for more than 90% of the overall increase,” Thomsen said.
She noted that dedicated freighters gained market share during the month as belly-hold cargo traffic declined, suggesting increased demand for larger or specialised shipments as well as the operational flexibility offered by freighter aircraft.
For Africa, the relatively weak growth comes against a backdrop of expanding global trade and manufacturing activity, both of which are important drivers of air freight demand. Global trade increased 7.5% year-on-year in July, while the Global Manufacturing Output Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) remained in expansion territory at 52.7, despite declining 0.3 points during the month. The New Export Orders Index also rose to 50.0.
The regional performance was led by North America, where carriers recorded a 4.8% increase in cargo demand, followed by Europe at 4.4%. Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean each recorded 4.1% growth, while Middle Eastern carriers posted a 1.7% increase.
Capacity trends, however, varied considerably across regions. African airlines increased capacity by 4.1%, compared with demand growth of just 1.1%. Latin American and Caribbean carriers recorded the largest capacity increase at 7.0%, while Middle Eastern airlines expanded capacity by 4.0%. Asia-Pacific capacity grew 3.0% and European capacity increased 1.3%.
North American carriers were the only regional market to record a year-on-year decline in capacity, falling 1.5% despite achieving the strongest demand growth.
Trade lane performance also showed a marked divergence in July. The Asia–North America corridor recorded the strongest growth, followed by Europe–Asia and Europe–North America. However, Gulf-linked routes continued to face disruption amid the conflict in the Middle East, adding uncertainty to international cargo flows.
The cost environment is also becoming a concern for airlines and cargo operators. Jet fuel prices rose 12.2% month-on-month in July and were 56.9% higher than a year earlier, putting additional pressure on operating costs and potentially limiting the benefits of stronger cargo demand.
Despite these headwinds, IATA said the outlook for air cargo remains broadly positive, supported by manufacturing activity, export orders and continued growth in global trade. However, higher fuel prices, geopolitical tensions and uncertainty surrounding tariffs remain factors that could influence the trajectory of the market in the months ahead.
For Africa, the challenge will be to translate growing international trade into stronger air cargo demand by improving connectivity, infrastructure, logistics efficiency and the competitiveness of the region’s air freight supply chain.
