The Continental Aviation Infrastructure Master Plan and Seamless African Airspace Architecture project is a continent-wide planning initiative under the Single African Air Transport Market. It is intended to identify airport and air-navigation infrastructure gaps, establish a coordinated long-term investment framework and support harmonised airspace management, interoperable communications, navigation and surveillance systems and more efficient routing across Africa.
The projectt submission estimated USD 1.2 million for preparation of the master plan and recorded S0 - Enabling Environment and Needs Assessment, with consultancy terms of reference already developed. A continental aviation-infrastructure gap analysis was completed and validated in 2023. Subsequent official aviation work has focused on refining the seamless-airspace framework and developing a pipeline of bankable projects.
The project supports operationalisation of the Single African Air Transport Market by addressing the infrastructure and airspace-management constraints that limit safe, efficient and competitive air transport. It covers both physical aviation infrastructure, including airports and air-navigation systems, and the institutional and technical architecture required for a seamless African airspace.
The master plan is expected to consolidate national and regional plans, forecast traffic and capacity needs, identify infrastructure gaps, prioritise investments and develop an implementation roadmap. The seamless airspace component is intended to promote harmonised procedures, performance-based navigation, flexible routes, common surveillance-code arrangements and interoperable CNS/ATM systems.
The African Union Commission and AFCAC are the principal continental institutions, working with ICAO, regional economic communities, air-navigation service providers, civil-aviation authorities and industry stakeholders. All African Union member states are beneficiaries.
A continent-wide aviation infrastructure gap analysis was completed and validated in 2023. Official ICAO and AFCAC reporting in 2024-2026 indicates that its results are being used to refine the air-navigation master strategy and identify bankable national and regional projects. The 2026 AU Assembly still called for mobilisation of financing for development of the Continental Aviation Infrastructure Master Plan.
The project aims to establish a coherent continental framework for aviation infrastructure investment and seamless airspace development. It seeks to identify capacity and safety gaps, align national and regional plans and prioritise bankable airport and air-navigation projects required to support traffic growth under SAATM.
It also aims to improve safety, capacity and efficiency through harmonised operations, interoperable systems, performance-based navigation and flexible routing. The intended outcomes include shorter routes, lower operating costs, improved connectivity and a more coordinated basis for mobilisation of public and private investment.