Speaking at the Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition in Kigali on Thursday, September 4, 2025, Makolo emphasised that despite progress under the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), market access remains uneven across the continent.
'Even with countries that are signatories to SAATM, we still face challenges gaining access to some points, which is frustrating,' she said.
Makolo also highlighted the airline's ongoing fleet expansion, noting the addition of two Boeing 737-800 aircraft and an expected Airbus A330 by the end of the year.
'Availability of aircraft, spare parts, and engines is increasingly tough, especially for smaller carriers competing against larger airlines,' she said.
The RwandAir CEO also spoke about the airline's preparation for the upcoming Bugesera International Airport, expected to be completed in 2028 at an estimated cost of around $2 billion.
'We are looking as an airline to grow. We have the new airport that's coming up in the next two and a half years. And in order to grow, we need to make sure we're ready for that growth,' she said.
The first phase of the new Bugesera International Airport is planned to handle 7 million passengers annually. A subsequent second phase will expand the airport's capacity to handle 14 million passengers per year.
Makolo noted the importance of partnerships in expanding the airline's reach. RwandAir has extended codeshare agreements with Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines, giving it access to more than 100 additional destinations.
'For African airlines, it's important to partner both internationally and within the continent to achieve the scale needed,' she added.
Protectionism remains a major barrier to continental connectivity. Makolo cited excessive fees and restrictive practices in some countries as obstacles to growth.
"We need to get to a level where we understand the importance of aviation. It's not for rich people. It's for all citizens of our continent. Given the vastness of this continent, we need aviation to connect with each other," the RwandAir CEO stated.
Charles Habonimana, Managing Director of Rwanda Airports Company, emphasised the necessity for structural reforms within African aviation to enhance its efficiency and competitiveness.
He advocated for modernising airport infrastructure, privatising operations, and liberalising airspace.
He further underscored the need for airspace liberalisation through the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), noting, 'SAATM is a vision for Africa to open up our skies, but we face challenges like protectionism.' These reforms, he argued, are critical to reducing high airfares and improving connectivity across the continent.
Additionally, Habonimana highlighted the challenges in financing aviation development, pointing out that governments struggle to prioritise airport projects amid competing demands.
'Each government goes with like 20 files [to development partners like the World Bank or African Development Bank]â€"healthcare, agriculture, now today what is trending is the environment protection. So you can imagine then bringing eight files of one government, and we're 54 governments. Adding airport development, airport maintenance or airport upgrade, that would never be a priority for those development partners," he explained.
He proposed a dedicated African aviation fund to address this issue, ensuring resources for infrastructure upgrades. Workforce development is another critical focus for Rwanda. Habonimana detailed the establishment of a civil aviation training centre in Kigali, supported by the African Development Bank, to prepare young people for aviation careers and develop skills tailored to the African context.
'That's why we have established a centre, a civil aviation training centre based here in Kigali in the aviation authority, training young people to come into this industry, but also for the future transformation," he stated.
He emphasised the need to train 15,000 pilots and 20,000 engineers by 2040 to support Africa's projected passenger growth, noting, 'With this number of 15,000 pilots and 20,000 engineers, all of them need other support people in this industry, which means we need to invest more in human capital on the continent.'
Wycliffe Nyamasege
