The Aviation Africa Summit 2025 opened in Kigali with a landmark moment for the continent’s aviation industry: the first-ever public flight of a self-flying electric air taxi in Africa. The demonstration, witnessed by President Paul Kagame, was the result of a pioneering partnership between the Government of Rwanda and the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), underscoring Rwanda’s ambition to lead the adoption of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies.

“For Africa, the vision is very clear: to invest in a stronger and more dynamic aviation sector, as a necessary building block for economic growth,” President Kagame emphasized during the summit’s opening ceremony.

While celebrating the industry’s rapid growth, Kagame also pointed to persistent challenges.

“Our continent continues to face high operational costs and infrastructure gaps. This makes the movement of people and cargo more expensive than it should be. Travel should not only be for the rich,” he said, urging greater collaboration with African institutions such as the African Union and ASECNA to achieve the vision of “one sky and free movement.”

Adding her voice, Yvonne Makolo, CEO of RwandAir, stressed the urgency of making air travel more inclusive: “Air connectivity is not a privilege reserved for the wealthy, it is a necessity for all citizens of our continent. For our continent to thrive, we must make flying accessible, affordable and inclusive to unlock the true potential of our skies.”

Makolo also called for stronger partnerships among African airlines and with global carriers: “By collaborating and pooling our strengths, we can enhance skills, networks, and capacity to connect our continent and make air travel more accessible.”

This year’s summit places sustainability at the heart of its agenda, with particular focus on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). A high-level panel, featuring Kwame Bekoe, CEO and co-founder of AfriSAF, and Silas Udahemuka, Director General of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority, is set to explore practical pathways for moving beyond policy discussions to real implementation.

“Africa’s success with SAF depends on mobilising feedstock, choosing the right technologies, reducing risks, and aligning policy with market incentives,” Bekoe said. He highlighted the broader benefits of SAF production, from energy independence to job creation and environmental improvements: “Our message is that SAF production could bring a disproportionate net positive impact to Africa on several dimensions.”

Bekoe will further expand on these insights in a presentation titled Solutions for Enabling SAF Production in Africa, hosted in the summit’s Insight Theatre.

Hosted at the Kigali Convention Centre on September 4–5, the two-day summit has drawn senior leaders, policymakers, and innovators from across the world. Now in its 9th edition, Aviation Africa, organized by Times Aerospace Events Ltd, has become the continent’s largest platform for aviation business and collaboration, having previously been hosted in the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Rwanda.

From cutting-edge technologies like self-flying taxis to practical debates on sustainable fuel, this year’s edition signals not only how far Africa’s aviation sector has come, but also how it is preparing to shape the future of global air travel.