(Posted 20th September 2026)
For years, African airlines have faced a frustrating reality:
They need fuel to fly, but they often have limited power over what they pay for it.
Fuel can represent more than 40% of operating costs in some African markets, putting enormous pressure on already-thin airline margins.
Now, 15 African airlines are trying something different.
Instead of negotiating individually, they are combining their purchasing demand through the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Fuel Project.
Together, they represent approximately 2.1 billion litres of annual fuel demand across around 190 locations.
And that changes the negotiation.
One airline asks. Fifteen airlines negotiate.
Imagine an airline approaching a fuel supplier at one airport.
It may have a reasonable amount of purchasing power.
Now imagine 15 airlines approaching suppliers with billions of litres of combined demand across nearly 200 locations.
The commercial proposition is completely different.
AFRAA says the project consolidates airline demand at individual stations, allowing participating airlines to negotiate collectively while still maintaining individual contracts with fuel suppliers.
In simple terms:
These airlines are not merging.
They’re merging their bargaining power
