On the sidelines of the 57th Annual General Assembly of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), African Pilot Magazine spoke with Joep Ellers, Airline Marketing Director for Africa at Airbus, about the company’s long-standing presence on the continent and its outlook for African aviation growth.
As Airbus approaches 50 years of operations in Africa in 2026, Ellers outlines how the manufacturer’s Global Market Forecast shapes expectations for fleet growth, with African air traffic forecast to double over the next 20 years and demand for approximately 1,500 new aircraft. The discussion explores the dominance of single-aisle aircraft in African markets, alongside the role of widebody fleets in supporting network development.
The conversation also examines the human capital challenge facing the sector, including Airbus’s estimate that Africa will require around 25,000 additional pilots over the next two decades, and how training efficiency, cross-crew qualification and mixed fleet flying are helping airlines manage costs and operational flexibility.
Sustainability and decarbonisation form a central part of the discussion. Ellers explains Airbus’s multi-pillar decarbonisation strategy, covering Sustainable Aviation Fuel, operational efficiencies, fleet modernisation and longer-term technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells and next-generation aircraft concepts.
The interview provides insight into how data-driven fleet planning, skills development and sustainability are being aligned to support the long-term growth of African aviation.
