African airlines topped the global air cargo leaderboard in November 2025, recording a striking 15.6% year-on-year jump in demand, according to the International Air Transport Association.
The surge underscores Africa’s growing role in global supply chains as businesses lean more heavily on air freight for speed and reliability.
To keep pace, African carriers expanded cargo capacity by 18.1%, the fastest increase of any region. Globally, air cargo demand rose a more modest 5.5%, driven by holiday-season shipments, trade re-routing, and strong activity in emerging markets.
While Asia-Pacific and Europe posted solid gains, North America and Latin America lagged.
IATA said the resilient finish to 2025 signals positive momentum for the air cargo industry heading into the new year.
