President Paul Kagame of Rwanda on Wednesday declared open the 9th Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition (AVAF25) at the Radisson Blu Hotel and Convention Center in Kigali.
The event, themed “Collaborating To Unlock Africa Aviation Growth; How Can Africa Deliver Sustainable Aviation Industry?”, brought together industry stakeholders to discuss collaboration and sustainable growth in Africa’s aviation sector.
President Kagame thanked the organisers, Times Aerospace Events Ltd, for bringing the event to Rwanda, emphasising that his government is honored to host it. He noted that the Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition has been pivotal in the growth of aviation in Africa. The President highlighted the importance of drones in time management and saving lives, announcing that a self-flying air taxi would make its maiden flight in Africa.
Kagame emphasised that air traffic is expected to double in the coming years and commended the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) for its role in promoting economic prosperity. Rwanda has removed visa restrictions for all African citizens, and RwandAir is expanding its fleet. However, the President acknowledged that African airline operators face high operational costs and infrastructure gaps.
The summit featured exhibitors from major aviation companies, including Airbus, Dunlop, Aviation Management Support Limited (AMSL), Rolls Royce, and others. AMSL’s CEO, Capt. David Olubadewo, described the summit as a success, noting that it was well-organised and accessible.
He expressed hope on increased customer base while promising good customer relations.
His words: “African Aviation in Rwanda is a success, unique and all the hitches we had in South Africa like visas did not happen here. Sadly there are not many Nigerians.
“We have more awareness here, more customers and it has put us on a good platform. We’re promising our customers technical assistance and very good customer service”.
The General Manager of AMSL, Mrs. Kemi Olubadewo, on her part added that the company came to break new frontiers and create awareness about its products, knowing the importance of consumables like aircraft tyres, oil, and others in the aviation industry.
She said: “As the industry is growing, AMSL is also growing in terms of consumables like aircraft tyres, oil, etc, needed for easy operations of the industry.
“We are here in Kigali to create more awareness as well as sales. So far, the feedback has been encouraging”.
Chairman of the Aviation Africa Summit, Alan Peaford, commended the Rwandan government for its support and collaboration, noting that Rwanda has been a torchbearer for change in the industry.
He highlighted the African Union’s initiative to create a Single Unified Air Transport Market in Africa (SAATM) and the need for more collaboration to unlock Africa’s aviation potential.