• African air cargo volumes surged 11% in August, IATA says
• Africa-Asia corridor traffic rose 8.4%, boosting capacity 12.3%
• Shift from sea to air freight driven by U.S. tariffs

African airlines posted the world's strongest growth in air cargo volumes in August, with volumes surging 11% year-on-year, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

This growth was accompanied by a 12.3% increase in capacity for African carriers, boosted partly by robust traffic on the Africa-Asia corridor, which saw an 8.4% rise.

The African market surpassed all other regions in growth for the month. Excluding Asia-Pacific, which rose by 9.8%, the growth rates in other major regions were modest: North America saw a 2.1% increase, Europe at 3.2%, the Middle East at 2.7%, and Latin America at 2.1%. Globally, air cargo recorded a 4.1% overall increase, marking the sixth consecutive month of annual growth. IATA attributes the strong trend to a shift from ocean freight to air freight, primarily due to new U.S. tariffs.

"Air cargo has benefited from a shift from sea for some high-value goods as shippers try to minimise the risk of tariff changes," explained Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General. Walsh added that growth trends indicate some freight is being diverted away from North America, fueling stronger demand on the Europe-Asia, Intra-Asia, Africa-Asia, and Middle East-Asia trade lanes.

"This adaptability is vital as shippers navigate the evolving landscape of US tariff policy," Walsh said.

If the current momentum continues, it could cement IATA’s annual forecast of 5.8% growth in global air cargo traffic for the year. This follows 2024, when global traffic increased 11.3%, with African carriers seeing an 8.5% rise.

Henoc Dossa