Ten Ugandan green entrepreneurs are set to travel to France for an exposure visit after graduating from a year-long business acceleration programme supported by Stanbic Uganda and the Embassy of France, which has equipped 106 entrepreneurs with skills to scale climate-smart enterprises and attract investment.

The visit is part of a UGX3 billion partnership between the French Embassy and Stanbic Business Incubator Limited (SBIL), aimed at strengthening Uganda’s emerging green economy while expanding opportunities for women and youth-led businesses

The graduates completed the year-long Stanbic GreenTech Accelerator and Incubation Programme, which seeks to help climate-smart enterprises strengthen their business models, attract investment and scale their operations.

The initiative is backed by a UGX3 billion partnership between the French Embassy and Stanbic Business Incubator Limited (SBIL), a subsidiary of Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited (SUHL).

Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Kampala on September 18, Minister of State for Gender and Culture Mary Kutesa Kamuli said partnerships of this nature could help address barriers limiting the participation of women and young people in economic production.

Minister Kamuli visiting stalls of exhibitors at the GreenTech Graduation Ceremony

She linked the programme to Uganda’s ambition of achieving tenfold economic growth by 2040, arguing that the target would require broader access to economic opportunities.

“To achieve the growth we aspire to, we must expand economic opportunities for women and youth,” Kutesa said, commending Stanbic Uganda and the Embassy of France for providing practical support to entrepreneurs.

The programme supports enterprises working in areas including sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, waste management and circular economy solutions. Its focus is on equipping entrepreneurs with business skills, networks and investment-readiness capabilities.

Launched in November 2025, the initiative targets up to 200 enterprises across the Kampala Metropolitan Area and the Albertine Region. More than 60 percent of participating enterprises are led by women and young people.

The partnership reflects growing attention to the role of private enterprise in addressing environmental challenges while creating jobs and expanding livelihoods.

Mark Ocitti Ongom, chief executive of Stanbic Uganda Holdings, said the collaboration with France was part of the bank’s broader commitment to supporting Uganda’s long-term economic development.

“The Embassy of France is interested in sustainable growth for Uganda. We, on the other hand, call Uganda home and are committed to driving her growth,” Ocitti said.

He described the programme as an example of what could be achieved when partners combine resources to support entrepreneurs addressing practical challenges.

Stanbic Uganda has pledged to mobilise up to Shs1 trillion by 2028 to support sustainable livelihood opportunities for women, youth and farmers. The bank had mobilised Shs440 billion by June 2026, according to the information provided at the ceremony.

The scale-up target places the GreenTech programme within a wider institutional effort to connect sustainability objectives with access to finance and enterprise development.

The Ambassador of France to Uganda Virginie Leroy (right) and the Chief Executive of Stanbic Incubator Catherine Poran (left) signing an agreement to mark the launch of the second phase of the training

SBIL chief executive Catherine Poran said the graduating entrepreneurs had spent the past year refining their business models, validating their solutions and preparing for expansion.

“The entrepreneurs graduating today have spent the past year strengthening their business models, validating their solutions and preparing for growth,” Poran said.

She added that the programme was intended to position businesses to attract capital, create employment and compete in the market.

The graduation also marked the launch of a second phase of the initiative, with the Embassy of France and SBIL signing an agreement to extend implementation for another year.

The renewed programme will open applications for a new cohort of green entrepreneurs, expanding access to mentorship, business development services and investment-readiness training.

French Ambassador Virginie Leroy said entrepreneurs would be central to Uganda’s efforts to combine economic growth with responses to climate-related challenges.

“The solutions being developed by these businesses show that sustainability and economic growth can go hand in hand,” Leroy said.

She highlighted the importance of innovators who can translate environmental challenges into practical and commercially viable solutions.

Exposure visit to France

As part of the support for the inaugural cohort, the French Embassy announced that 10 outstanding entrepreneurs would be sponsored for an exposure visit to France.

The visit is expected to provide opportunities to engage with innovation hubs, green enterprises and potential business partners.

The initiative offers the selected businesses an opportunity to gain exposure to enterprise ecosystems outside Uganda, although the commercial outcomes of the engagements will depend on the partnerships and opportunities that emerge.

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Passenger traffic at Entebbe International Airport increased in August, but international passenger volumes remained significantly below the levels recorded during the same month last year, as travel restrictions and suspended airline services continued to weigh on Uganda’s main international gateway.

The airport handled 169,706 international passengers in August 2026, according to the latest traffic figures from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), representing an 8.5 per cent increase from the 156,342 passengers recorded in July.

The month-on-month recovery added 13,364 passengers to the airport’s traffic, although volumes remained 29.1 per cent below the comparable period in 2025.

Entebbe processed 239,329 international passengers in August last year, leaving a year-on-year deficit of 69,623 passengers in August 2026.

The latest figures highlight the continuing weakness in international air travel through Uganda, despite August falling within the traditional mid-year peak travel season, when holiday travel and tourism typically support passenger demand.

Of the passengers handled in August, 88,270 were arrivals and 81,436 were departures. The figures translate into an average of approximately 5,474 international travellers passing through the airport each day.

The difference between arrivals and departures, with arrivals exceeding departures by 6,834 passengers, also points to the effects of restrictions affecting Ugandan travellers on selected international routes.

The traffic decline follows disruptions linked to the Ebola outbreak in neighbouring DRC with a few spillover cases in to Uganda, as well as the suspension of services by some airlines.

Dutch carrier KLM suspended flights to Entebbe following the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak. Although the World Health Organisation subsequently declared Uganda Ebola-free, the airline had not resumed its services by the time of the August traffic figures.

The suspension removed a significant link between Uganda and the European aviation network, with implications for both passenger connectivity and onward travel.

Uganda Airlines has also yet to restore its Kinshasa services, which were suspended after Kampala closed its borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The continued absence of the route has further reduced the national carrier’s network coverage.

Dubai, another important destination for Ugandan travellers, continues to impose restrictions on passengers from Uganda, adding pressure to traffic flows through Entebbe.

Together, these disruptions have affected both the volume and composition of passenger traffic, with the imbalance between arrivals and departures reflecting the constraints on outbound travel.

The increase from July to August provides some evidence of a recovery in passenger activity. However, the substantial year-on-year shortfall suggests that the airport has yet to regain the traffic levels it enjoyed during the corresponding period in 2025.

July and August typically benefit from increased movement associated with school holidays, tourism and family travel. The weaker performance this year therefore raises questions about the extent to which travel restrictions and the loss of airline connectivity are affecting Uganda’s tourism and aviation-related businesses.

For airlines operating through Entebbe, lower passenger volumes can affect seat occupancy, route profitability and the viability of maintaining services. The impact extends beyond carriers to airport-related businesses, including ground handling, hospitality, transport and tourism operators.

The resumption of suspended services, alongside the easing of travel restrictions, could help restore traffic. However, the August figures underline the importance of reliable international connectivity to the performance of Uganda’s aviation sector.

The figures point to an aviation market still working through the effects of health-related travel disruptions, airline suspensions and restrictions affecting key travel corridors.

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Airbus and South African aviation training provider ALT Academy, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore cooperation in aircraft maintenance training, in a move aimed at strengthening Africa’s technical aviation capabilities.

The agreement, signed on September 16, on the sidelines of the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) Expo 2026 in the City of Tshwane, establishes a framework for developing training initiatives and learning solutions that connect academic instruction with the evolving requirements of the aviation industry.

The partnership comes as African airlines and aviation markets face the need to expand technical skills, including aircraft maintenance expertise, to support fleet growth and the introduction of increasingly sophisticated aircraft.

Although Airbus has more than 300 aircraft in service with African airlines, the absence of a widespread technical ecosystem encompassing type-rated pilots, maintenance technicians and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities on the continent, has remained a constraint on the development of a stronger Airbus presence in Africa.

Against this backdrop, the agreement with ALT Academy offers a potential avenue for expanding access to manufacturer-aligned maintenance training, although the specific programmes and their delivery arrangements are yet to be finalised.

The two organisations will identify mutually agreed training initiatives designed to bridge the gap between academic preparation and industry requirements. The proposed cooperation will focus on aligning maintenance knowledge with current industry standards and equipping aviation professionals with skills relevant to modern aircraft operations.

“This partnership underscores our long-term commitment to supporting the growth of Africa’s aviation ecosystem,” said Nam-Binh Hoang, Airbus Country Representative in South Africa.

“By combining our industry-leading learning solutions with ALT Academy’s dedication to practical education, we are proud to support the development of a robust pipeline of highly skilled professionals ready to meet the evolving demands of modern aviation,” he said.

For ALT Academy, the agreement provides an opportunity to explore how manufacturer knowledge and learning resources can be incorporated into practical technical education in South Africa, with potential benefits extending to aviation operators elsewhere on the continent.

Ryan van Wijk, CEO of ALT Academy, said the technical demands of modern aircraft required training capabilities that could not easily be developed by individual institutions working in isolation.

“Modern aircraft demand a level of technical training that is difficult to build in isolation,” Van Wijk said, describing the agreement as a step towards expanding practical, high-quality maintenance training capacity in South Africa.

He said the cooperation would allow the organisations to examine how current manufacturer knowledge and learning solutions could be made more accessible to learners and industry, while maintaining safety, quality and regulatory requirements.

The MoU does not yet constitute a commitment to specific training courses or an established accreditation arrangement. Instead, it provides a basis for the two parties to jointly develop potential programmes, with details on course content, accreditation and enrolment expected to be announced as planning progresses and the necessary approvals are secured.

The distinction is significant for Africa’s aviation industry, where the availability of qualified technical personnel, approved maintenance capacity and appropriate regulatory oversight is essential to supporting airline fleet expansion and operational reliability.

Aircraft maintenance training is also closely linked to the development of regional MRO capabilities, which can help airlines reduce reliance on overseas facilities for certain maintenance activities, subject to aircraft type, certification and the capabilities of individual facilities.

Further announcements on the scope and implementation of the joint initiatives are expected once the organisations complete their planning and secure the relevant approvals.

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Africa’s aviation market is expanding rapidly, but airlines are struggling to convert rising passenger demand into sustainable returns, prompting the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) to call for stronger government action on taxes, infrastructure, financing and market liberalisation.

Speaking at a media roundtable held on the sidelines of the Aviation Africa Summit in Nairobi on September 10, AFRAA Secretary General Abderahmane Berthé said Africa’s aviation industry was confronting a fundamental contradiction: passenger demand is rising sharply while airlines continue to operate on some of the thinnest margins globally.

Passenger traffic in Africa is projected to reach 137.3 million in 2026, representing a 21.5pc increase over 2025. Yet African carriers are expected to achieve an average margin of only 0.2pc, according to AFRAA, leaving the industry highly exposed to fuel-price volatility, geopolitical disruption and other external shocks.

The structural weakness is particularly significant given Africa’s demographic and economic potential. The continent’s population is estimated at 1.58 billion in 2026, with a median age of 19, while its economies are growing at about 4.3pc annually. Yet air travel penetration remains at only about 7pc of the population, among the lowest levels globally.

For AFRAA, this represents both a challenge and a major opportunity—but one that cannot be unlocked by airlines alone.

Taxes, fees and charges account for an estimated 35–40pc of African airfares, compared with about 20pc globally. At the same time, governments were holding an estimated USD774 million in airline funds that remained blocked as of March 2026.

The association says the release of such funds, together with a reduction in the cost burden imposed on air travel, would provide immediate relief to airlines operating in already difficult markets.

Africa also receives only about 2pc of global aircraft deliveries, compared with 35.6pc for Asia-Pacific and 24pc for Europe. The continent faces an estimated USD25–30 billion requirement for airport and air-navigation infrastructure over the next decade, making access to affordable long-term financing increasingly critical.

“African aviation is ready to deliver on its promise to connect our economies, move our trade, and carry the growth that this continent’s youth and enterprise are already generating. But readiness is not the same as capacity,” Berthé said.

“Our airlines are being asked to carry that promise on some of the thinnest margins in the world, while absorbing costs, blocked funds and shocks that carriers elsewhere simply do not face.”

Geopolitical disruption is adding another layer of pressure. Conflict-driven airspace closures in parts of the Sahel and North Africa are forcing airlines to take longer routes, increasing fuel consumption and operating costs.

AFRAA is therefore pushing for a coordinated response involving governments, regional institutions, development finance institutions and the airlines themselves.

The association’s six-point response includes developing financing mechanisms for aircraft acquisition in partnership with Afreximbank, the African Development Bank and the African Union Commission, ahead of the July 2027 AU Summit.

It is also seeking to advance the African Airlines Cooperation Framework to address the continent’s long-haul capacity deficit. African airlines currently account for only 37.6pc of intercontinental capacity, leaving a substantial share of the market to non-African carriers.

AFRAA is further urging governments to move beyond commitments under the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and implement the market liberalisation measures on the ground.

“We are calling on governments to release what is owed, to lower the tax burden on air travel, and to convert the liberalisation they have already signed up to into practice on the ground,” Berthé said.

The association is also advocating greater investment in aviation safety, airspace efficiency and local maintenance capacity.

There has been progress on safety. AFRAA says its capacity-building work with the Flight Safety Foundation contributed to a 35pc improvement in Africa’s accident rate in 2025, which fell to 7.86 accidents per million flights from 12.13 in 2024.

Its Free Route Airspace programme, which allows aircraft to fly more direct routes instead of following fixed airway structures, has already generated estimated annual fuel savings of 5,000 tonnes in West and Central Africa. AFRAA now plans to extend the initiative into Eastern and Southern Africa.

Maintenance remains another major leakage of value from the continent. African airlines currently spend an estimated USD1.8 billion annually on overseas aircraft maintenance, according to AFRAA.

Building stronger local maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capacity, the association argues, would not only reduce airline costs but retain more aviation expenditure within African economies.

The underlying message from AFRAA is that Africa’s aviation challenge is no longer simply a question of whether there is sufficient demand.

The demand is increasingly evident. The harder question is whether governments and institutions can create the financial, regulatory and infrastructure conditions that allow African airlines to capture more of that growth.

“With that support matched at scale, African airlines can do what they do best: drive the growth, resilience and connectivity our continent needs,” Berthé said.

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TAAG Angola Airlines, Angola’s national carrier, has joined Westbrook Racing by Visit Angola as an official Race Partner for the inaugural E1 Luanda GP, strengthening the airline’s role in promoting Angola as an international travel and investment destination.

The partnership comes as the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) E1 World Championship makes its first appearance in Angola, with the Luanda Grand Prix scheduled for September 11–13, 2026.

Under the partnership, Westbrook Racing will travel to and from Angola with TAAG, while the airline’s brand will be prominently displayed on the wings of the team’s RaceBird during the three-day event.

The E1 World Championship is a global electric powerboat racing series that brings teams and drivers together to compete in high-performance, all-electric RaceBird boats on waterfront circuits in major cities. The championship combines competitive racing with a focus on clean technology and sustainability, using the international sporting platform to promote the transition towards electric mobility and cleaner marine transport. The Luanda GP will mark the championship’s first race in Angola.

For TAAG, the collaboration provides an opportunity to connect its aviation and tourism ambitions with a global sporting platform expected to attract international attention to Luanda.

The partnership also brings together three brands — TAAG, Westbrook Racing and title partner Visit Angola — in an effort to project a contemporary image of Angola through travel, sport and entertainment.

Miguel Carneiro, chief executive officer of TAAG Angola Airlines, said the arrival of E1 in Luanda offered an opportunity to showcase Angola to a global audience.

“As the national airline, TAAG is proud to welcome Westbrook Racing by Visit Angola and to be part of their journey to our country,” Carneiro said.

He said the partnership reflected TAAG’s purpose of connecting people, creating opportunities and encouraging international visitors to discover Angola.

The airline’s corporate positioning, “We make dreams fly,” will therefore be extended into a new sporting environment as TAAG seeks to reinforce its role as a connector between Angola, Africa and international markets.

For Westbrook Racing, the Luanda race marks another step in its growing relationship with Angola.

The team’s partnership with Visit Angola was announced in March 2026 following a visit to the country by team owner Will Smith. Since the second race of the E1 season, the team has competed under the Westbrook Racing by Visit Angola identity.

The Luanda GP will be the team’s first home race under the partnership, bringing the international championship to Angola while giving the team an opportunity to race before Angolan fans, business partners and other stakeholders.

Phil Allen, team principal of Westbrook Racing by Visit Angola, said TAAG was a natural partner for the team’s first race in Angola.

“Together, we have an opportunity to use the international platform of E1 to showcase the energy and ambition of Angola,” Allen said.

The team will be represented on the water by Sara Price and Lucas Ordóñez, as Westbrook Racing competes in its first home event in Luanda.

Beyond the sporting competition, the partnership highlights the increasingly important role of airlines in destination marketing, where national carriers can serve as ambassadors for tourism, trade and investment.

For TAAG, association with E1 offers another international platform through which to market Angola at a time when the country is seeking to expand its global tourism profile and strengthen connectivity.

The Luanda event could consequently provide more than a showcase for electric powerboat racing. It brings together aviation, tourism, sport and destination branding in an effort to present Angola to international audiences as a modern and increasingly connected destination.

The E1 World Championship, which features all-electric RaceBird boats, is designed around a global series of races in major waterfront cities.

For Luanda, hosting the championship also provides an opportunity to place the Angolan capital on the international sporting calendar while creating a platform for local and international brands to engage with audiences beyond the traditional aviation and tourism markets.

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Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL),  on September 3, announced the suspension of its direct Dar es Salaam–Moscow service and then reversed it a day later, highlighting how geopolitical tensions, airspace restrictions and aviation regulation are increasingly shaping the economics of African airlines.

The suspension of flights TC422 and TC423 takes effect on September 4, 2026, with the national carrier attributing the decision to a routine risk assessment of the operating environment along the route.

ATCL said such assessments are conducted continuously across its global network and that operational pauses are implemented whenever safety indicators warrant them.

“Safety considerations always take precedence over commercial ones,” the airline said.

The suspension comes barely two months after ATCL launched the route on July 1, 2026, making it one of the airline’s newest long-haul services. The three-times-weekly Boeing 787-8 operation linked Dar es Salaam with Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, with the return leg routed through Zanzibar.

Industry sources say the decision illustrates the difficult choices facing ATCL as the war in Ukraine, restrictions on Tanzanian-registered aircraft in European airspace and intermittent access to alternative corridors combine to make the Moscow operation increasingly complex.

With Ukrainian airspace closed, airlines travelling between East Africa and Russia essentially have to route around the conflict either to the west or east.

For ATCL, however, the western option is complicated by the European Union’s restrictions on Tanzanian-certified carriers. That leaves the airline dependent on longer eastern routings through airspace including Iran, Pakistan and potentially Afghanistan.

“They have a difficult scenario,” an airline source said. “There are basically two routes to Russia — east or west because Ukraine is in the middle. The western route would be safer and faster, but Air Tanzania is banned from European airspace.”

The alternative eastern routing also presents its own risks.

“Iran can also close its airspace sporadically, which means the aircraft may have to go further east via Afghanistan and Pakistan, which have their own issues,” the source added.

Longer and more complex routings also have financial consequences, particularly through fuel consumption, crew costs, aircraft utilisation and insurance.

“Insurance does not like planes flying over Iran right now,” the source added.

The restrictions on Tanzanian-certified carriers stem from aviation safety oversight concerns raised by European authorities. The European Commission initially placed the carrier on the EU Air Safety List in late 2024 before expanding the restriction in June 2025 to cover all carriers certified in Tanzania.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) cited deficiencies in national aviation oversight, including shortages of qualified personnel and weaknesses in safety monitoring of flight operations.

The designation effectively prevents Tanzanian-registered aircraft from operating into, out of or across EU airspace, limiting ATCL’s routing options and complicating any future expansion into the European market.

The Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority has continued technical discussions with European safety authorities aimed at addressing the identified oversight deficiencies and securing removal from the list.

However, another commentator, Malawi-based aviation consultant, Sean Mendis explained that the EU designation should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that IOSA certified ATCL itself has unsafe operating practices.

“EASA doesn’t assess airlines directly. They assess the Civil Aviation Authority and its capability to maintain oversight,” Mendis said.

“Air Tanzania’s processes may be compliant with IOSA, but the finding is that TCAA is incapable of supervising that.”

The Moscow suspension therefore demonstrates a wider challenge for African airlines. Commercial viability increasingly depends not only on passenger demand and aircraft economics, but also on access to safe and politically available airspace.

For ATCL, the immediate priority is to protect passengers while monitoring whether conditions allow the Moscow service to resume.

The airline is offering affected passengers either a full refund or rebooking to an alternative travel date or routing at no additional cost.

Passengers can contact ATCL through contactcentre@airtanzania.co.tz or +255 748 773 900, or seek assistance through their travel agents.

The carrier said it remains in consultation with aviation and regulatory authorities and will announce the resumption of the Moscow service once its operational assessment determines that the route can be safely operated.

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Uganda Airlines is moving to separate the corporate leadership of the national carrier from the technical and regulatory responsibilities of running an airline, in a restructuring that could give its shareholders greater latitude in choosing the next Chief Executive Officer.

The change is signalled by the carrier’s decision to recruit a Chief Operating Officer who will also serve as the airline’s Accountable Manager, effectively removing the regulatory docket from the office of the CEO.

Uganda Airlines has advertised six senior executive positions as it reshapes its management structure: Chief People and Culture Officer (CPCO), Chief Operating Officer/Accountable Manager, Chief Customer Services Officer (CCSO), Chief Corporate Planning Officer (CCPO), Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), and Chief Internal Audit/Risk Compliance Officer.

The new structure represents a significant departure from the arrangement under which the CEO also carried the Accountable Manager responsibility for the airline’s Air Operator Certificate and other operational approvals.

Uganda Airlines CEO Girma Wake

The distinction is important because the Accountable Manager carries ultimate executive responsibility for ensuring that an airline’s approved operations are properly resourced, safely conducted and compliant with aviation regulations.

Under the newly advertised position, the COO/Accountable Manager will oversee flight operations, maintenance and engineering, the approved maintenance organisation, safety and quality, while ensuring that the airline’s operational activities remain within the requirements of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and other applicable global standards.

The restructuring therefore potentially changes the profile required of the person occupying the CEO’s office. With the technical and regulatory accountability assigned to a dedicated aviation executive, the shareholders would have greater scope to appoint a CEO primarily on the basis of leadership, commercial, financial, strategic and organisational capability rather than requiring the individual to simultaneously satisfy the highly specialised requirements associated with being an airline Accountable Manager.

This could be particularly consequential as Uganda Airlines moves into a new phase of expansion following its agreement with Boeing for 10 aircraft and the opening of additional regional and international routes.

Wake’s changing role

The restructuring also provides a significant clue about the future role of veteran aviation executive Ato Girma Wake, who was brought in earlier this year to stabilise Uganda Airlines after the departure of Jennifer Bamuturaki.

Wake, the former Ethiopian Airlines chief executive, was initially appointed as a consultant/adviser and acting CEO, with the expectation that he would help address management weaknesses and work with the board during the transition to a substantive chief executive.

His continued presence at the airline, however, has taken on a different significance. Uganda Airlines has not included the CEO among the six positions currently being advertised, while the company is instead recruiting the executive team beneath that office.

That omission suggests that the board and shareholders are taking a different approach to the leadership transition than the one anticipated earlier in the year when the airline began the search for a substantive CEO.

It also points towards a potentially longer tenure for Wake, who is no longer simply a stop-gap executive awaiting the arrival of a replacement, but is positioned to play a more substantive role in the airline’s institutional reset.

The airline’s own board profile describes Wake as an aviation leader with more than four decades of executive experience and credits him with extensive experience in airline transformation, fleet modernisation, network strategy and operational performance.

For Uganda Airlines, that experience comes at a critical moment. The carrier has moved from the immediate challenge of keeping its existing fleet flying to a much larger question of how to build the institutional capacity required to operate and grow a national airline sustainably.

Building the next generation

A central element of Wake’s approach is understood to be the development of a talent pipeline rather than relying indefinitely on imported or externally recruited senior expertise.

The strategy involves bringing in fresh graduates and developing them within the airline so that they acquire not only technical and professional competence but also an understanding of the particular discipline required to run a national carrier.

That distinction matters for various reasons. An airline can acquire aircraft relatively quickly. Building the human capital, systems, institutional memory and corporate culture required to operate those aircraft efficiently and profitably takes considerably longer.

Uganda Airlines is therefore attempting to move from a model heavily dependent on individual executives towards one in which institutional capability becomes embedded across the organisation.

The six positions announced this week are central to that transition. The Chief People and Culture Officer is intended to strengthen the human-resource and organisational-development function; the Chief Customer Services Officer will focus on the passenger-facing side of the business; the Chief Commercial Officer on revenue and market development; and the Chief Corporate Planning Officer on strategy and coordination.

The creation of a dedicated Chief Internal Audit/Risk Compliance Officer also gives greater prominence to internal controls, risk management and compliance at a company that has faced sustained scrutiny over its governance and financial performance.

The COO/Accountable Manager, meanwhile, becomes the executive anchor for the airline’s safety, operational and regulatory functions.

Together, the positions suggest an organogram designed to distinguish three critical dimensions of the business: operational and regulatory control, market-facing commercial performance, and internal corporate governance and coordination.

That separation could prove more important than the titles themselves. For shareholders, it potentially creates room to select a CEO whose principal task is to lead the business and deliver value, while leaving the specialised operational command of the airline to an executive specifically recruited and accepted for that responsibility.

For Uganda Airlines however, the ultimate test will be whether the new structure reduces the concentration of responsibilities at the top and creates clearer lines of accountability.

The airline’s expansion plans will make that test increasingly important. As the national carrier grows its fleet, network and workforce, its success will depend less on the charisma or experience of individual executives and more on whether it can build a professional institution capable of surviving changes in leadership.

Turning Uganda Airlines from an organisation that depends on finding the right individual at the top into one that can consistently produce the right decisions, skills and accountability at every level, may turn out to be the most important legacy of the current restructuring.

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Africa’s aviation growth story remains firmly intact, with Boeing maintaining a largely unchanged positive outlook for the continent even as the industry prepares to gather in Nairobi next week for the Aviation Africa Summit.

In its 2026 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) for Africa, released on September 3, the US aerospace manufacturer projects passenger traffic to grow at an average 5.8pc annually through 2045, making Africa one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.

That growth is expected to push the continent’s commercial jet fleet from 755 aircraft in 2025 to 1,625 by 2045, an increase of 870 aircraft and more than double the current fleet.

The forecast is notable not only for its scale but also for its consistency. Coming almost a year after Boeing’s previous long-term assessment, the 2026 outlook retains the same broad positive trajectory, reinforcing the view that Africa’s aviation opportunity is structural rather than a short-term rebound.

The timing also places the forecast squarely ahead of the Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition in Nairobi on September 9–10, where airlines, governments, manufacturers, financiers and other aviation stakeholders are expected to focus on the continent’s connectivity, fleet and infrastructure challenges.

Boeing expects African airlines to require 1,165 new aircraft between 2026 and 2045, with single-aisle jets accounting for the overwhelming majority.

Of the projected deliveries, 870 will be single-aisle aircraft, representing 75pc of total demand, while 240 will be widebodies, 40 regional jets and 15 freighters.

The composition of that demand points to where Boeing sees the biggest opportunity: short-haul and regional connectivity.

Africa’s single-aisle fleet is forecast to rise from 400 aircraft in 2025 to 1,125 by 2045, as airlines expand domestic networks, establish more links between neighbouring countries and serve growing short-haul international markets.

The widebody fleet, meanwhile, is expected to more than double from 135 to 315 aircraft, reflecting expansion of African hubs and long-haul networks.

Boeing also expects the continent’s freighter fleet to increase from 60 to 150 aircraft, driven by the development of logistics, e-commerce and high-value export markets.

The traffic projections underline the importance of stronger regional connectivity.

Africa-Middle East traffic is forecast to grow fastest at 7.1pc annually, with revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increasing almost fourfold, from 79.6 billion in 2025 to 311.8 billion in 2045.

Intra-African traffic is projected to grow by 6.5pc annually, rising from 82.4 billion RPKs to 288.1 billion — a 3.5-fold increase.

Africa-Europe traffic will grow more slowly at 3.4pc annually but will remain the continent’s largest international passenger market, with traffic doubling from 212.8 billion RPKs to 415.1 billion.

The numbers suggest that the next phase of African aviation growth will be increasingly driven by connections within the continent and between Africa and the Middle East, rather than relying primarily on traditional links with Europe.

Boeing says Africa’s large geography, numerous national markets and historically limited air service agreements have constrained the development of intra-African networks. Yet airline network growth has exceeded 20pc over the past decade despite the disruption caused by the pandemic. The manufacturer expects that trend to accelerate as airlines add short-haul links between neighbouring countries.

The Boeing 787 has proved a versatile platform for African airlines, serving both intra-African and intercontinental routes 

For African airlines, however, the forecast is not simply about buying more aircraft. Boeing says the projected fleet expansion will generate a substantial secondary market for maintenance, training, digital technology and other aviation services.

Its Commercial Services Market Outlook estimates that Africa will generate USD140 billion in aviation services demand between 2026 and 2045, growing at 4.6pc annually.

Maintenance is expected to account for USD90 billion, digital services USD45 billion, and training and pilot services another USD5 billion.

That creates an opportunity for African countries to develop more of the aviation support ecosystem locally rather than continuing to depend heavily on maintenance, training and technical support capacity outside the continent.

The scale of the workforce challenge is equally significant. Boeing forecasts that Africa will require 75,000 new aviation professionals over the next 20 years, comprising 22,000 pilots, 25,000 technicians and 28,000 cabin crew. That translates into an average of about 3,750 new skilled aviation personnel every year.

The pilot requirement is particularly revealing. Boeing expects 77pc of the 22,000 new pilots to serve regional networks, compared with 23pc supporting global networks — another indication of where the strongest expansion in African aviation is expected to occur.

“Africa’s aviation market is entering a period of sustained growth driven by improving connectivity, expanding intraregional travel and deeper economic ties across the continent and with key global markets,” said Shahab Matin, Boeing managing director of Commercial Marketing.

Meeting that demand, he said, would require a broader commitment to fleet modernisation, expanded capacity, digital solutions and workforce development.

“The opportunity extends well beyond airplanes,” Matin said. “It will require investment in affordable access, and the people who will support a larger fleet.”

Perhaps the most consequential feature of Boeing’s forecast is the scale of fleet renewal embedded in the numbers.

Of the 755 aircraft currently in Africa’s commercial fleet, fewer than 125 are expected to remain in service by 2045. Boeing estimates that about 92pc of the fleet will consist of newer-technology aircraft by then.

That means Africa’s aviation expansion is likely to involve not merely adding aircraft but replacing a significant portion of the existing fleet with more fuel-efficient and technologically advanced equipment.

For airlines, this could improve operating efficiency and support longer and more commercially viable networks. But it also places greater demands on access to capital, maintenance infrastructure, technical skills and reliable aviation ecosystems.

The challenge for policymakers and industry leaders gathering in Nairobi next week will therefore be less about whether Africa has an aviation growth opportunity and more about whether the continent can build the conditions required to capture it.

Boeing’s 2026 outlook suggests that the demand will be there. The harder question is whether African airlines, airports, regulators, financiers, training institutions and governments can expand quickly enough — and sustainably enough — to meet it.

The post Boeing Holds Bullish Africa Aviation Outlook as Fleet Set to More than Double by 2045 appeared first on 256 Business News.

The estate of Ugandan police commissioner Christine Alalo, who was among 157 people killed in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash, is set to benefit from a new USD444.5 million compensation fund established by Boeing for victims of the two fatal MAX accidents.

Payments from the fund have begun for beneficiaries of the 346 people killed in Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610, according to aviation publication AVweb. The fund was created under Boeing’s 2025 non-prosecution agreement with the US Department of Justice.

Alalo, a Ugandan police commissioner and acting police commissioner with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), was the only Ugandan among the 157 people aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 when the Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa on March 10, 2019.

The flight was bound for Nairobi when it crashed near Bishoftu, killing all 149 passengers and eight crew members. Alalo was travelling in connection with her peacekeeping duties in Somalia.

Under the terms of Boeing’s agreement with the US government, each victim’s estate is entitled to an equal pro-rata share of the USD444.5 million fund. On a straight division among the 346 victims, the allocation works out at approximately USD1.285 million per victim, although the final amount payable to individual beneficiaries will depend on the administration of each estate.

The new fund is separate from an earlier USD500 million crash-victim compensation programme established under Boeing’s 2021 deferred prosecution agreement. Together, the two US Justice Department-linked victim funds amount to USD944.5 million.

https://www.256businessnews.com/ugandan-police-officer-remembered-as-us-jury-awards-49-5-million-over-boeing-737-max-crash/

For Alalo’s family, the new payment adds to a compensation process that has stretched across seven years since the Ethiopian Airlines disaster.

The Uganda Police Force had previously coordinated with Ethiopian authorities and the international disaster victim identification team over Alalo’s remains and compensation issues following the crash.

Alalo’s death was particularly significant in Uganda because of her role in regional peacekeeping. She had joined the Uganda Police Force in 2001 and served in international peace and security assignments, including with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and AMISOM. At the time of her death, she was serving as acting police commissioner with the African Union mission in Somalia.

The compensation comes against the backdrop of a wider legal and regulatory reckoning over Boeing’s development and certification of the 737 MAX.

The two crashes — Lion Air Flight 610 in Indonesia in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 five months later — killed 346 people and triggered the worldwide grounding of the MAX fleet.

The US Justice Department’s 2025 agreement required Boeing to pay the additional USD444.5 million to crash-victim beneficiaries, alongside a USD243.6 million criminal penalty and at least USD455 million in additional investment in compliance and safety programmes.

The latest compensation programme is, however, distinct from private civil claims brought by individual families against Boeing. The 2025 agreement provides for equal distribution of the government-established fund rather than compensation based on the individual circumstances of each victim.

For Uganda, the payment brings renewed attention to Alalo’s place in one of the defining aviation disasters of the modern era.

Her death, alongside those of 156 other passengers and crew, was part of a tragedy that exposed weaknesses in the MAX’s flight-control system, led to the aircraft’s global grounding and forced sweeping changes in aircraft certification, pilot training and aviation safety oversight.

The post Family of Ugandan Boeing 737 MAX Crash Victim Christine Alalo Set for USD1.28 million Payout appeared first on 256 Business News.

Kenya Airways has announced another change at the top of the national carrier, with Captain George Kamal set to leave his position as Acting Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer as the airline continues its search for a substantive CEO.

Kamal will be replaced by Habil Waswani, the airline’s Company Secretary and Director of Legal Services, who will take over as Acting GMD/CEO effective September 15, 2026.

The leadership change comes as Kenya Airways continues to implement a turnaround strategy aimed at restoring operational reliability, optimising its network and fleet, and strengthening the airline’s long-term financial and strategic position.

In a message to staff dated September 1, Kenya Airways Chairman Kiprono Kittony said Kamal would be transitioning from his role after four years of service, during which he brought extensive aviation expertise to the airline and helped steer it through its most recent executive leadership transition.

“The Board and Management express their sincere gratitude to Capt. Kamal for his four years of dedicated service,” Kittony said.

Kamal assumed the acting CEO role following the departure of Allan Kilavuka, who left Kenya Airways in late 2025 after serving as Group Managing Director and CEO since 2020.

His departure now sets the stage for another leadership transition at a critical point in the airline’s recovery.

Waswani, who has more than 24 years of multi-sector corporate and commercial legal experience, has spent more than five years at Kenya Airways. Before taking over as acting CEO, he served as Company Secretary and Director of Legal Services.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi, a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law and a Global Executive MBA from the United States International University in collaboration with Columbia Business School in New York.

Waswani is also a Certified Public Secretary and a member of the Law Society of Kenya, the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya and the Institute of Directors of Kenya.

His professional background spans senior corporate governance roles in banking and insurance, rather than airline operations, making his appointment an interim stewardship role as the board works to identify a permanent chief executive.

The board said it has already initiated a competitive recruitment process for a substantive GMD/CEO, which it expects to conclude in the near term.

The search for a permanent chief executive comes as Kenya Airways seeks to consolidate gains from its turnaround programme and address the operational and financial challenges that have weighed on the carrier for years.

According to the chairman, the airline’s immediate strategic priorities remain operational reliability, network and fleet optimisation, sustainability and growth, alongside identifying a suitable strategic investor.

The search for an investor is particularly significant given Kenya Airways’ long-running financial challenges and the strategic importance of the carrier to Kenya’s position as an East African aviation hub.

The board expressed confidence that the transition from Kamal to Waswani would be smooth and that the airline would maintain momentum towards its strategic objectives.

The latest change means Kenya Airways will enter its next phase of recovery under an acting CEO while the board completes the search for a permanent executive to lead the national carrier.

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