Africa leads global air cargo growth despite industry headwinds

African airlines recorded the strongest air cargo growth of any region in May, highlighting the continent’s expanding role in global trade and supply chains as demand for freight services continues to outpace much of the world.

This is according to the latest data released by International Air Transport Association (IATA) that indicates African carriers posted a remarkable 13.3% year-on-year increase in air cargo demand during May 2026. This is more than double the global average growth rate of 6%.

Capacity on the continent increased by a modest 1.3%, indicating that airlines are carrying significantly more cargo without a corresponding expansion in available space.