The African Airlines Association (AFRAA), in partnership with Ethiopian MRO, EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering, Kenya Airways MRO and South African Airways Technical, have successfully concluded the inaugural African MRO Conference, held from 29–31 March 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Hosted by Ethiopian Airlines at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, the landmark event brought together over 450 delegates from over 50 countries, marking a major step forward in shaping a competitive and sustainable Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) ecosystem in Africa.
Key Outcomes: From Dialogue to Action
Under the theme “Building Africa’s Sustainable MRO Ecosystem,” the conference delivered clear, actionable outcomes aligned with Africa’s aviation priorities:
- Strong Consensus on Retaining MRO Value Within Africa
Participants reaffirmed the urgent need to reduce dependence on off-continent maintenance, which continues to drive up airline costs and aircraft downtime. Stakeholders emphasised scaling regional capabilities to retain billions of dollars in MRO spend within Africa, while improving fleet efficiency and operational reliability.
- Commitment to Pan-African Collaboration
Airlines, MRO providers, OEMs, and regulators agreed to deepen collaboration through:
- Joint ventures and shared MRO capacity
- Resource pooling for smaller carriers
- Strengthened partnerships across the value chain
- Enhanced engagement with continental bodies and regulators
A key takeaway was that collective action is essential.
- Advancing Regulatory Harmonisation
Deliberations highlighted regulatory fragmentation as a major barrier to cross-border MRO operations. Participants called for:
- Mutual recognition of certifications across African states
- Greater alignment of regulatory frameworks
- Stronger coordination through continental institutions
- Strengthening the partnership between operators and MRO service providers
This is expected to unlock faster turnaround times, lower costs, and increased competitiveness for African MRO providers.
- Accelerating Digital Transformation
The conference underscored the transformative potential of predictive maintenance, artificial intelligence, and big data in improving MRO efficiency. Key recommendations included:
- Investing in digital infrastructure and data systems
- Strengthening Airline-OEM–MRO collaboration on data access
- Building internal capabilities to adopt predictive maintenance models
- Establishment of a data-sharing governance policy
Delegates noted that digital tools could deliver double-digit improvements in cost efficiency and aircraft availability when effectively deployed.
- Investing in Skills and Human Capital
A strong emphasis was placed on addressing skills shortages and workforce retention challenges across the continent. Outcomes included calls to:
- Expand aviation training capacity and institutions
- Align curricula with industry needs
- Strengthen partnerships between MROs and training organisations
- Create attractive career pathways for young African talent
Human capital was recognised as the foundation of a sustainable MRO ecosystem.
- Strengthening Supply Chain Resilience
Discussions identified parts availability, logistics inefficiencies, and global supply chain disruptions as critical constraints impacting African MRO operations. Participants agreed on the need to:
- Develop regional supply chain hubs
- Improve procurement collaboration among airlines
- Leverage digital tools for inventory and demand forecasting
- Delivering Tangible Business Outcomes Through the AFRAA Marketplace
The AFRAA B2B Marketplace emerged as a key success factor of the conference, facilitating high-impact engagements between airlines, MROs, OEMs, and service providers.
Pre-arranged meetings enabled stakeholders to:
- Explore maintenance partnerships
- Negotiate service agreements
- Identify cost-saving solutions
- Build long-term commercial relationships
The Marketplace reinforced AFRAA’s commitment to driving measurable industry outcomes beyond dialogue.
Building on Three Pillars for the Future
Across all sessions, a unified framework emerged for advancing Africa’s MRO ecosystem, built on three core pillars:
- Collaboration – strengthening partnerships across the aviation value chain
- Technical Talent – investing in skills development and workforce sustainability
- Digital Technology – leveraging innovation to improve efficiency and competitiveness
Looking Ahead
Closing the conference, AFRAA reaffirmed its commitment to:
- Supporting the development of regional MRO capabilities
- Facilitating industry collaboration and partnerships
- Advocating for policy and regulatory alignment
- Promoting skills development and knowledge transfer
AFRAA will announce the date and venue of the next edition of the African MRO Conference, which will be held in 2027.
Event Sponsors and Exhibitors
The MRO Conference was sponsored by: Ethiopian Airlines, GE Aerospace, Boeing, Aero Supplies Global and Global Airtech.
20 Exhibitors showcased their solutions, services and products at the event: Aero MRO, Aero Supplies Global, Aldis Aviation, Boeing, Cee-Bee Aviation, DTX Aerospace, Ethiopian MRO, Gandhi Automations, Global Inflight Products, Kenya Airways MRO, Lufthansa Technik, Mirage Aero Services, SAA Technical, Sand Hill Aerospace LLC, Seabury Solutions, SRT Aerospace, ST Aviation, Tubesca Comabi, Wencor and YES Aircraft Maintenance.
