African Pilot Weekly Magazine 16:2026

In this on-camera interview with African Pilot Magazine, Abderahmane Berthé, Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), outlines key priorities following the inaugural AFRAA African MRO Conference.

Berthé highlights the lack of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capacity across the continent, noting that many African airlines are required to send aircraft outside Africa for maintenance. The focus is on scaling local capacity to retain value, reduce costs, and support job creation and skills development within the continent.

There is a need for stronger collaboration across the industry, alongside regulatory alignment, including cross-recognition of MRO activities and engineer certifications, as well as the development of continental airworthiness rules to support cross-border operations.

Berthé also notes that digital transformation is critical to improving efficiency, with an emphasis on integrated systems, data quality, and the infrastructure required to support future growth in MRO activity. He also touches on longer-term considerations, including the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production in Africa and the importance of scaling supply to improve economic viability.

AFRAA’s next steps include continued engagement through future MRO conferences and the upcoming aviation stakeholder convention and safety and operations summit in Johannesburg.

Don’t miss the 14th Aviation Stakeholders Convention and 3rd African Aviation Safety and Operations Summit from 17 to 20 May 2026, hosted by South African Airways in Johannesburg, South Africa.

As the inaugural AFRAA African MRO Conference 2026 in Addis Ababa, held from 29 to 31 March 2026, concluded, Maureen Kahonge, Director Commercial and Communications at the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), provided African Pilot Magazine with a post-event report back, outlining the event’s key outcomes and next steps.

The event brought together more than 400 delegates and 41 African airlines, marking the first collective MRO conference staged by AFRAA in collaboration with founding MRO providers.

Kahonge set out several proposed actions aimed at improving cost efficiencies, including spare parts pooling and joint procurement of aircraft consumables such as hydraulic oil, tyres and brakes.

She also highlighted the need for closer collaboration across the ecosystem, including airlines, OEMs, MRO providers, regulators, and governments, noting ongoing fragmentation, particularly in regulatory frameworks, and the need for greater coordination at state level.

AFRAA intends to track progress through quarterly engagements with member airlines and integrate the outcomes into its annual action plans and next five-year strategic framework.

The AFRAA MRO event is set to become an annual platform focused on measurable outcomes.

At the AFRAA African MRO Conference 2026 in Addis Ababa, from 29 to 31 March 2026, Henok Teferra Shawl, Managing Director for Boeing Africa, summarised the company’s activities and priorities across the continent.

Boeing operates its African administrative hub from Addis Ababa, opened in April 2025, alongside an established presence in South Africa, reflecting its long-term commitment to the market.

The continent is expected to require more than 1,200 new aircraft over the next 20 years. This demand is linked to wider sector expansion, with the International Air Transport Association identifying Africa as the fastest growing aviation market globally, underscoring the need for a fully developed aviation ecosystem.

Boeing’s approach centres on supporting this growth through safe and sustainable development, with a focus on building technical capacity. This includes working with airlines to strengthen training programmes, covering both curriculum development and implementation.

The company is also partnering with universities in Ethiopia, Egypt and Morocco to support aviation-related education, while running STEM initiatives in countries including Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa to engage and develop future industry talent.