In 2024, intra-African trade reached an all-time high of US $220.3 billion, up 12.4% from the previous year. This is more than just a recovery from global disruptions, it is a sign that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is beginning to reshape the continent’s trade geography.
For Tanzania, and for Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in particular, this is a pivotal moment. The country has positioned itself as a proactive player in AfCFTA’s Guided Trade Initiative, meaning it is not only moving goods across borders but also shaping the early architecture of the single market.
The question now is whether JNIA can rise above its role as Tanzania’s main gateway and become a continental connector, a place where air cargo and passenger flows link seamlessly into AfCFTA’s emerging corridors, supporting both time-sensitive trade and the movement of people in an integrated African market.
AfCFTA Air Cargo and Passenger Potential
AfCFTA is the largest free trade area in the world by participating countries, 54 nations, 1.3 billion people, and a combined GDP of US $3.4 trillion. Its promise is to reduce tariffs, harmonize trade rules, and make cross-border business easier. For aviation, this means two big opportunities:
Air Cargo, The UN Economic Commission for Africa estimates that intra-African freight demand will grow by 28% by 2030 under AfCFTA. Much of this will be in high-value, time-sensitive goods like perishables, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and e-commerce shipments, cargo types that rely on reliable air links rather than slow overland routes.
Passenger Flows, AfCFTA’s push for integrated markets will drive business travel, trade fairs, and regional tourism. Air links between African capitals will become even more critical, as will competitive hub airports that can handle both efficient connections and high service standards.
For JNIA, both trends are relevant: the airport can serve as a multi-modal bridge between East Africa’s manufacturing, agricultural, and service sectors and the rest of the continent’s emerging economic hotspots.
Where JNIA Stands Now
JNIA handled around 2.9 million passengers in 2024, maintaining its position as one of Africa’s busiest mid-tier airports. The growth trend is positive, international flights rose 5.3% year-on-year from January to September 2024, domestic flights grew by 7.1%, and cargo throughput surged 21.7% to 9,632 tonnes.
The airport’s cargo operations are anchored by Swissport Tanzania, which runs three warehouses, including temperature-controlled storage, e-Air Waybill (e-AWB) processing, and secure handling for high-value goods. On the passenger side, the opening of Terminal 3 in 2019 gave JNIA modern capacity, with space for 6 million passengers per year across its phases.
Its airline portfolio is diverse:
- Air Tanzania has expanded to Guangzhou, Mumbai, Dubai, and multiple African capitals.
- Gulf carriers like Emirates, Qatar Airways, and flydubai connect Dar to global markets.
- Regional African airlines provide links to EAC and SADC markets.
With these assets, JNIA is not starting from zero in the AfCFTA era, but to truly serve as a continental connector, it will need to reorient its network and processes to align with the trade patterns and corridor priorities emerging under the free trade area.
Mapping JNIA’s AfCFTA Corridor Opportunities
AfCFTA’s promise is not abstract, it is grounded in very real trade flows that JNIA can tap into if it positions itself strategically. Three potential corridor plays stand out:
East–Southern Africa Corridor
Dar es Salaam–Lusaka–Johannesburg is already a busy freight and passenger route. Under AfCFTA, Zambia and South Africa’s manufacturing and mining exports could be complemented by Tanzanian agricultural and industrial goods, with JNIA acting as the consolidation point. Once the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is fully linked inland, cargo can be fed from SADC markets to Dar for rapid air uplift to the rest of the continent.
East–West Africa Corridor
Dar es Salaam–Lagos–Accra opens up West Africa’s largest economies to East African goods and vice versa. This could be a high-value lane for manufactured products, pharmaceuticals, and fashion, especially if belly cargo on passenger flights is supplemented with dedicated freighters. Air Tanzania’s future West African routes could be designed around these flows, capturing time-sensitive trade that road or sea would slow down.
East–Horn of Africa Corridor
Dar es Salaam–Addis Ababa–Djibouti could become a mixed cargo and passenger route that leverages Ethiopia’s airline network and Djibouti’s role as a maritime hub. JNIA could plug into this corridor by offering competitive transit times and cold-chain handling for perishables headed to the Gulf and Middle East.
Competitive Pressures
The AfCFTA opportunity comes with heavyweight competition:
Addis Ababa (ADD), Ethiopian Airlines runs Africa’s largest cargo operation, with a dedicated freighter fleet and a modern cargo village offering high-volume, rapid-turnaround capability. Its network depth gives it an automatic edge in frequency and reach.
Nairobi (JKIA), A mature perishables hub, JKIA has vacuum cooling and advanced cold-chain facilities directly on the apron. It has long-established market trust with European and Middle Eastern buyers, making it a formidable competitor in fresh produce.
Kigali (KGL), While smaller in scale, RwandAir’s nimble expansion strategy is making Kigali a connection point for West and Central Africa. Its operational efficiency is a benchmark for newer hubs like JNIA.
JNIA’s competitive differentiators will have to be more than just “new facilities.” Its coastal location allows sea–air integration via Dar es Salaam Port, creating options for shippers who want to blend ocean freight cost advantages with air freight speed. Additionally, Dar’s growing origin-and-destination market means flights can rely on both local demand and transshipment volumes, spreading revenue risk.
Policy & Trade Facilitation Levers
Infrastructure alone will not make JNIA an AfCFTA leader, the policy environment has to actively encourage trade through Dar.
Align with Guided Trade Initiative Routes
JNIA’s cargo and passenger schedules should be mapped against AfCFTA pilot trade lanes to capture early-mover advantage. This would ensure Tanzania’s exports are among the first to benefit from tariff reductions and streamlined rules of origin.
Pre-Arrival Clearance for AfCFTA Cargo
By integrating with AfCFTA’s customs digital platforms, JNIA could process documentation and duties before shipments land. This would cut dwell times and give Dar a competitive edge against slower border posts elsewhere.
Incentives for Intra-African Connectivity
Cargo rebates, reduced handling fees, or fuel concessions for airlines launching new intra-African routes from Dar could tip route development decisions in Tanzania’s favour.
Promote Dar at Trade & Investment Events
Leveraging platforms like the Africa Trade & Investment Conference to market JNIA’s AfCFTA readiness would help attract foreign carriers and freight forwarders looking for a foothold in East Africa’s growing market.
Infrastructure & Service Upgrades for AfCFTA Role
If JNIA is to serve as a reliable AfCFTA air trade hub, its facilities and services need to match the speed and quality demanded by high-value, time-sensitive cargo flows.
Dedicated Freighter Aprons
Expanding apron space specifically for freighters would prevent scheduling conflicts with passenger aircraft during peak hours and seasonal export surges.
Multi-Temperature Cargo Terminals
Building modular facilities capable of handling perishables, pharmaceuticals, and dry goods simultaneously would open up new commodity streams and reduce contamination risks.
Digital Cargo Tracking & Integration
Linking JNIA’s cargo systems to AfCFTA’s customs and logistics platforms would give shippers real-time visibility, enabling them to track consignments across borders, critical for high-value goods like electronics and pharmaceuticals.
Multi-Modal Integration
Connecting JNIA with the Kwala Inland Container Depot (ICD) via upgraded road links and the SGR would allow for sea–air transfers and rapid inland distribution. This would cement Dar es Salaam’s role as a combined maritime and air logistics hub.
Risks and Barriers
- AfCFTA Implementation Lag, Delays in harmonizing customs processes or enforcing tariff agreements could slow the uptake of air trade corridors.
- Competitive Entrenchment, Addis, Nairobi, and Kigali are already investing heavily in cargo and network expansion, making it harder for JNIA to win over shippers.
- Infrastructure–Trade Mismatch, Building capacity faster than trade flows materialize could lead to underutilized assets.
- Regulatory Coordination, Aligning Tanzanian customs and trade facilitation policies with multiple African partners will require sustained diplomatic and technical effort.
Success Indicators by 2030
A successful AfCFTA positioning for JNIA would look like this:
- Cargo Growth, Intra-African air freight tonnage rising by double digits annually, with balanced inbound and outbound flows.
- Network Reach, At least 15–20 African capitals directly connected by passenger or freighter services from Dar.
- Transit Share, A measurable portion of cargo and passengers using JNIA for intra-African connections, not just point-to-point travel.
- Processing Speed, Average cargo dwell time under 24 hours for AfCFTA shipments, supported by pre-arrival clearance systems.
- Airline Partnerships, Multiple African carriers and logistics operators basing part of their AfCFTA operations at JNIA.
From National Gateway to Continental Connector
AfCFTA is not just a trade policy, it is a network-building exercise. The airports that align their infrastructure, services, and partnerships with the emerging continental corridors will become the natural gateways for a new era of African commerce.
JNIA has the fundamentals: a coastal location with sea–air integration potential, a growing network of African and global carriers, and a cargo platform ready for targeted upgrades. The challenge now is execution, linking its physical assets to digital trade facilitation systems, aligning its route network with AfCFTA flows, and marketing itself as East Africa’s most agile and connected hub.
If Tanzania can make those connections, both physical and political, JNIA could move beyond being the country’s busiest airport to becoming one of the continent’s go-to connectors in the AfCFTA era.
