Aviation Africa Summit to Address Key Industry Issues

The 2026 edition of the Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition, September 9-10 at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi Kenya, will be addressing topics and issues raised by the industry as part of in-depth research with key leaders.

Airline chiefs, regulators, supply-chain, service providers and associations have all contributed ideas to what they believe is most relevant to bring to the two-day event.

Chairman of the Aviation Africa 2026 Summit; Alan Peaford, said: “It is an indication of the growing importance of Aviation Africa to the African aerospace scene. We are grateful to all those who met and contributed by explaining their needs and offering to help us ensure key people are there to speak.

“While many of the topic headings may be familiar, it is what is underneath them and the direct impacts on the industry that are being raised to the surface.  With a team of challenging moderators, speakers will be asked about the key issues – speakers are coming from across the continent – and beyond.”

The key track to the content includes the challenges of high operating costs, Inadequate and ageing infrastructure, regulatory frameworks and fragmentation, persistent skills gap and human factors that can affect lives – and a failure of training and inequalities for Africans. Governance and financial instability and poor air connectivity and high-ticket prices.

The Summit will be offering introductions to new concepts, aircraft development including the uncrewed sector and discuss some sensitive issues like pilot mental health affecting airlines, business and general aviation and engineer stress.

The Summit will host multiple stages and a separate symposium.

The SIMBA STAGE (“Simba” literally means lion, but it also carries meanings like strength, courage, and leadership) will see the guest of honour from Kenya open the Summit with keynotes from Hon. Teresia Mbaika, Principal Secretary, State Department for Devolution, Republic of Kenya; Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary General, African Civil Aviation Commission (Senegal) and Abderahmane Berthe, Secretary General, African Airlines Association.

The event draws support from several regulators who will be on stage to face questions; OEM Embraer will reveal its latest forecast for the African airline scene while an airline leaders panel will open-up on their hopes and concerns following an armchair chat on stage with Kenya Airways CEO, George Kamal.  Africa’s freight opportunities also come under the spotlight.

Throughout the two days of the summit, the stage will explore the issues with leaders in areas such as regulation, collaboration, investment in infrastructure and engineering capability.

The MAENDELEO STAGE (“Mandeleo” means progress and development in Swahili) This will feature key symposia. Event partner AfBAA, the African Business Aviation Association will be holding a symposium on the role of general aviation and non-commercial air transport sector which is often the heart of African aviation activities from medevac to humanitarian aid, light aircraft and business jet transport – and debate why governments need to recognise the role and work together to give greater freedom of access to nations.

In association with global aviation lawyers, Clyde & Co, there will be a separate symposium that cover some of the issues around aviation finance and leasing. Open skies; crisis response to traumatic events with real life experience studies; access to insurance and cross-sector trends.  This is a must for legal counsel for airlines, African law firms, and the industry as a whole.

The stage will also be home for the human element whether it be training, safety, recruitment, careers and human factors. Man of the debates and presentations will be interactive and searching.

The TAI STAGE (“Tai” means flight and future in Swahili) will host the African Drone Forum. The ADF has partnered with the Summit for the second year and is promising an amazing event for those interested in the uncrewed and drone sector.

Kenya is one of Africa's most active drone markets, with more licensed training academies than any other country on the continent, a live UTM procurement process, an operational BVLOS corridor, and growing interest from manufacturers and technology companies seeking an East African base.

Chair of the Forum, Eno Umoh said: “The decisions being made in African airspace right now, on who gets to operate, how data flows, who builds the UTM, who trains the pilots, will shape this industry for the next decade. Most of those decisions are being made without enough information, without peer comparison, and often without the operators closest to the work in the room. That is what this programme is designed to change.”

In association with the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), regulators and government ministers will be meeting at the Summit. African aviation associations and top industry leaders will also be there and participate in the many networking events.

Aviation AFRICA is organised by TIMES Aerospace Events Ltd, having already organised 9 previous editions in the United Arab Emirates, Rwanda, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa.

For more information, visit: www.aviationafrica.aero