At the CANSO Africa Conference 2026 in Nairobi, industry leaders stressed that adequate digital infrastructure and improved cross-border coordination are essential as air travel expands across the continent. They warned that without these investments, the growing aviation market could face safety risks, flight delays and higher costs.
Andrea Sack, CANSO Senior Vice President for Global Operations, said air traffic management must be treated as a core part of growth planning rather than added later. She called on African countries to move beyond developing aviation strategies and instead implement practical solutions, including sharing operational data, pooling expertise and ensuring national systems work together across borders.