African carriers are facing widespread delays and cancellations as a global shortage of aircraft spare parts continues to ground planes worldwide. Smaller airlines including Uganda Airlines, Kenya Airways, Air Senegal, and RwandAir have been hit hardest, with each reporting at least one aircraft grounded at the end of 2025.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the shortage is expected to cost the global aviation industry more than $11 billion this year.
The ripple effects are being felt beyond the tarmac. Africa’s tourism sector, a major economic driver, is experiencing disruptions in bookings and business. Kampala-based tour operator Resty Mbabazi described the impact as “significant and worrying” for travel operators across the continent.
Jacques Assoumou, a pilot and former executive at Air Gabon, explains why African airlines are disproportionately affected and how the parts shortage could undermine their competitiveness in regional and international markets.
Innovation Spotlight: Female Engineer Driving Change
In Libya, 25-year-old aviation engineering student Rawan Abu Aeshah is challenging gender norms while pioneering cost-efficient car engine modifications. Her work is gaining attention for both its technical ingenuity and its role in empowering women in traditionally male-dominated engineering fields.
Mining: Africa Pushes for Value Addition
Africa’s mining sector is also seeing a strategic shift. Countries such as Zimbabwe and Namibia are restricting raw ore exports to encourage local processing, create higher-value jobs, and stimulate industrial growth.
However, industry experts warn that high energy costs, logistical challenges, and infrastructure gaps could slow progress, highlighting the ongoing tension between resource wealth and industrial development.
This convergence of aviation, innovation, and industrial policy illustrates Africa’s dynamic economic landscape, where global pressures and local ingenuity intersect to shape opportunities and challenges for the continent.
