SAPTCO Lecture Targets Bold Push to Unlocking SAATM
At the 2026 SAPTCO Annual Lecture, Unlocking SAATM will take centre stage as African aviation stakeholders examine why the continent’s single air transport market remains largely unrealised. The event will bring together respected industry figures in Lagos to explore practical measures for improving connectivity, reducing operating costs and expanding intra-African travel and trade.
The lecture will be delivered by Ms. Iyabo O. Sosina, former Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC). She played an instrumental role in advancing the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) during her tenure at the continental aviation body. Her experience is expected to provide valuable insights into the initiative’s objectives, implementation challenges and future prospects.
According to Mr. Sam Adurogoboye, Managing Consultant of SAPTCO, the gathering promises to be an important opportunity to reconsider an initiative that has yet to fulfil its promise.
The lecture, which also includes a training programme, is scheduled for November 5, 2026, at 11 a.m. It will take place at the NCAA Training Suite, Annex, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Unlocking SAATM Through Open Skies
The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barrister Festus Keyamo, SAN, will attend as Special Guest of Honour. The Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo, will participate as Guest of Honour.
Other expected participants include representatives of airlines, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), aviation agencies and the aviation media. Dr. Harold Demuren, former Director General of the NCAA, is also expected to attend as Father of the Day. He delivered the inaugural SAPTCO Lecture in 2025.
Mr. Adurogoboye said this year’s lecture would redirect African leaders’ attention towards SAATM’s original objectives. These include the Open Skies Policy, traffic freedoms and the long-standing 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision, which provides a framework for liberalising African air transport.
Launched in January 2018, SAATM is an African Union initiative designed to establish a unified civil aviation market across the continent. It seeks to liberalise air services, improve connectivity and enable participating countries to open their markets to greater competition.
However, unlocking SAATM requires more than political commitments and continental declarations. Governments must translate agreed policies into practical measures that improve market access, support cross-border operations and reduce restrictions on eligible airlines.
African Aviation Seeks Economic Gains
Mr. Adurogoboye explained that SAATM aims to open African skies, lower airfares and increase intra-African travel and trade. The initiative also supports the broader objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Unfortunately, this laudable programme is yet to be translated into reality years after it was conceptualised and launched,” Mr. Adurogoboye said.
He expressed hope that the lecture would serve as a catalyst for effective implementation. According to him, successful implementation could deliver better connectivity, economic growth, lower operating costs and other benefits across Africa.
For airlines, unlocking SAATM could create opportunities to enter additional markets, expand regional networks and improve passenger access to destinations across the continent. Greater market access could also encourage competition and provide travellers with more routing options.
Nevertheless, these benefits depend on governments implementing agreed commitments and addressing barriers that continue to limit regional air connectivity. Regulatory cooperation and consistent application of liberalisation policies will therefore remain important to the initiative’s success.
The SAPTCO Annual Lecture offers stakeholders an opportunity to examine the gap between SAATM’s ambitions and its practical outcomes. Its lasting significance will depend on whether discussions generate renewed political commitment and concrete action towards a more integrated, competitive and accessible African aviation market.
