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The Citizen
3 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
SA targets 42 million passengers through airports by 2029
Acsa has a major capital program that they want to roll out over the next three years. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy says in recognition of the key role aviation can play in economic development, her department is targeting to reach 42 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of air freight through the Airports Company of South Africa's (Acsa) network of airports by 2029. Creecy made the remarks at the 3rd Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit being held at the Durban ICC. The three-day event, which commenced on Tuesday, aims to address aviation's urgent need for millions of new skilled professionals to work in the aviation sector globally. Acsa capital programme Creecy said Acsa has a major capital programme that they want to roll out over the next three years. 'It includes a new cargo terminal at OR Tambo International Airport, as well as upgrading passenger facilities at our other network of airports. Of course, we work a lot with other departments in government. 'Minister [Patricia] de Lille in the tourism sector is very responsible for bringing visitors to our country. Obviously, Minister [Parks] Tau in Trade and Industry is also helping us to position aviation as an enabler of the African Free Trade area, and I think that working together with those other departments, we are in a position to boost the travel footprint in our airports and also to increase the amount of cargo that we would be Moving by air,' Creecy said. AVIATION GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL SUMMIT [WATCH] The Minister of Transport @BarbaraCreecy_ delivering a keynote address @icao 80 next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit in Durban#ICAOGlobalSummit @GovernmentZA — Department of Transport (@Dotransport) August 12, 2025 ALSO READ: Creecy steps in to resolve dispute over Acsa baggage screening services New opportunities Meanwhile, the South African Civil Aviation Commission (Sacca) at the summit, emphasised the need to create new opportunities for the next generation in the aviation sector. Sacca director Poppy Khoza said the aviation regulator understands that the future of the industry is inextricably linked to our ability to attract, train and retain young talent. 'We are proud to have aligned our youth development initiatives with ICAO's [International Civil Aviation Organization] Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) strategy — a vision we support not only in principle, but through deliberate and sustained action,' Khoza said. 'As South Africa and the Sacaa in particular, by raising our hand in this critical discussion on building skills and young talent, we are hopefully demonstrating the urgency by which we view this initiative 'Our aim is to transform lives, ensure that potential is realised and we wish to redirect futures in a way that will contribute to this very important industry that directly influence socio-economic growth,' she said. NOW READ: Aviation Co-ordination Services rejects Acsa claims over OR Tambo grenade security breach Aviation professionals Secretary-general of the of the ICAO Juan Carlos Salazar stressed the importance of professionals in the aviation sector. 'Every time we board an aircraft, our safety and comfort depend on the skills of dozens of aviation professionals, most of whom we never see.' Salazar said these professionals represent just a fraction of the global aviation workforce that connects the world. 'By the time today's toddlers are graduating from high school, ICAO forecasts that global air transport will need over one million cabin crew alone. 'We will need almost 700 000 aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians, and almost as many pilots. Over 130 000 air traffic controllers will need to be trained and recruited,' Salazar said. The energy is electric in Durban as delegates from across the globe touch down for the NGAP Global Summit 2025. From aviation trailblazers to next-gen innovators, the brightest minds are gathering to Innovate. Educate. Inspire. This is where ideas take flight, connections are… — SA Civil Aviation Authority – SACAA (@OfficialSACAA) August 12, 2025 Technology Salazar said revolutionary technologies are reshaping aviation sector, whole automation, AI and advanced air mobility are transforming our airspace. He added that digitalisation and data analytics are enhancing operations and sustainability solutions are driving the path to net-zero emissions. Salazar said the 2025 NGAP Global Summit will be remembered as a 'key milestone in the scaling up and refinement of this programme as we achieve these ambitions'. Ambassadors The summit coincides with the launch of the new ICAO Global Ambassadors Programme, a flagship initiative that will mobilise passionate aviation professionals from around the world to serve as role models, advocates and messengers for our industry. The volunteers will visit schools, mentor youth and engage with communities to make aviation careers more visible and accessible to all. ALSO READ: Millions of litres of jet fuel secured to address OR Tambo shortage
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Unlocking Africa's $180bln digital trade economy
LAGOS, Nigeria -- The future of African trade is digital, and it's unfolding. From Dakar to Durban, a quiet but steady transformation is taking shape. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global trade hit a record $33 trillion in 2024, with developing economies, including Africa, playing a growing role in that expansion. The African Free Continental Trade Area offers the largest free market, including 55 countries, a population of 1.3 billion and a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion. The opportunities are vast, yet the strategies required for industrial players to source, move and manage raw materials and finished goods remain a challenge. 'The continent's digital economy is projected to reach $180 billion by 2025, up from $115 billion in 2020, thus contributing significantly to Africa's GDP, creating new job opportunities, and expanding regional trade. Digital trade is transforming the continent's economic landscape, creating new opportunities for real economic growth, productive job creation, and poverty reduction.' H.E. Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment 'Building on this rapid expansion, our focus must shift from isolated digital initiatives to a fully integrated ecosystem that streamlines every step of trade—sourcing, supplying, logistics and payments. By integrating these functionalities on a single platform, Matta enables manufacturers to navigate sourcing headaches and suppliers to manage cross-border complexities with confidence and unlocks new markets in Africa in real time. This holistic approach is what will transform digital trade's potential into tangible, inclusive economic growth across Africa.' Mudiaga Mowoe, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Matta. Launched to enable sustainable African economies, Matta's integrated ecosystem—today powered by the Matta digital marketplace ( and the Flux logistics management tool, with Oxide Finance (Matta's upcoming trade-financing and cross-border payments platform) arriving soon—empowers manufacturers and suppliers across food & beverage, home & personal care, paints & coatings, agro-processing, automotive assembly, textiles, construction, and beyond with truly end-to-end sourcing, movement, and settlement. Rather than supplanting traditional trade networks, this unified platform amplifies human partnerships through real-time visibility, traceability, and seamless transactions. This evolution in digital trade and industrial growth is one of the key conversations that will take centre stage at the West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing & Trade (West Africa IMT) Summit and Exhibition, set to take place from October 21-23, 2025. West Africa IMT is a high-level platform for government leaders, investors, manufacturers, and technology innovators to align practical solutions and policy frameworks for accelerating Africa's industrial transformation. Matta, Africa's integrated ecosystem for industrial trade, will join other industry stakeholders across the continent at West Africa IMT 2025 to discuss the potential opportunities for industrial growth in the West African sub-region. As manufacturers increasingly seek more innovative, more efficient ways to power production beyond physical infrastructure and policy support, there's an urgent need for systems that simplify sourcing, enhance transparency, and ensure supply chain reliability. Matta addresses these challenges by connecting African manufacturers directly to verified suppliers of raw materials and commodities, ensuring business continuity in an environment where procurement bottlenecks often slow production timelines. Digital platforms address multiple challenges simultaneously: procurement complexities, logistics coordination, payment processing, and data-based planning. By integrating these capabilities into industrial operations, West African economies can accelerate development timelines and establish competitive manufacturing centres that participate effectively in global markets. As African nations chart independent economic paths, digital trade platforms like Matta will significantly influence how quickly and effectively new industrial capabilities develop. The transformation in African trade is already underway, with effects that will continue to reshape economic relationships for years to come. West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing & Trade Summit & Exhibition 21-23 October 2025 I Landmark Centre | Lagos | Nigeria Distributed by APO Group on behalf of dmg Nigeria events. Contact Details: Roshan Jan-Mahomed Head of Marketing – Africa Email: info@ About the West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing & Trade Summit and Exhibition 2025: The Pre-eminent Global Gathering Driving West Africa's Industrial Revolution The West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing and Trade (West Africa IMT) Summit and Exhibition will unite the industrialisation ecosystem, including energy, finance, infrastructure, manufacturing, raw materials, logistics/supply chain, technology, trade and security, to accelerate a sustainable industrial revolution for West Africa. As governments across the region have declared industrialisation as a key priority, the Strategic Summit will feature the visions from Heads of government seeking public–private partnerships to drive industrial revolution across the region. Decisive action is at the core of the agenda, providing solutions for sustainable resource valorisation and opening up trade pathways for economic development and prosperity. Participation is expected from across the global industrialisation value chain including the following industries: Aerospace, Agriculture, Automotive, Chemicals, Construction, Energy & Utilities, FCMG, Heavy Industries, ICT & Electronics, Infrastructure, Logistics & Transportation, Machine & Equipment, Maritime, Medical, Mining, Plastics & Rubber, Pharmaceuticals, Retail, Technology Solution Providers, Textiles, Water & Utilities. 15+ African ministers 25+ countries represented from around the globe 70+ expert industry speakers 250+ exhibiting companies 500+ conference delegates 2,500+ attendees About dmg Nigeria events: dmg Nigeria events is a subsidiary of dmg events. dmg events is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc (DMGT), an international portfolio of information, media and events businesses. DMGT manages a diverse, multinational portfolio of companies, with total revenues of around £1 billion, that provide businesses and consumers with compelling information, analysis, insight, events, news and entertainment. Its venture capital business, dmg ventures, holds minority stakes in early-stage businesses and focuses particularly on disruptive consumer media propositions. Headquartered in Dubai, UAE since 1989 with offices in Canada, Egypt, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and the UK. dmg events is an international exhibition, conference and intelligence company, attracting more than 1,000,000 attendees to a portfolio of over 80 events each year. This global portfolio works closely with key stakeholders across the industry to facilitate pragmatic dialogue, serving as a platform for the latest discussions at the forefront of change. For more information on dmg events, visit: SOURCE dmg Nigeria events
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Unlocking Africa's $180 billion Digital Trade Economy
The future of African trade is digital, and it's unfolding. From Dakar to Durban, a quiet but steady transformation is taking shape. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global trade hit a record $33 trillion in 2024, with developing economies, including Africa, playing a growing role in that expansion. The African Free Continental Trade Area offers the largest free market, including 55 countries, a population of 1.3 billion and a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion. The opportunities are vast, yet the strategies required for industrial players to source, move and manage raw materials and finished goods remain a challenge. 'The continent's digital economy is projected to reach $180 billion by 2025, up from $115 billion in 2020, thus contributing significantly to Africa's GDP, creating new job opportunities, and expanding regional trade. Digital trade is transforming the continent's economic landscape, creating new opportunities for real economic growth, productive job creation, and poverty reduction.' H.E. Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade&Investment 'Building on this rapid expansion, our focus must shift from isolated digital initiatives to a fully integrated ecosystem that streamlines every step of trade—sourcing, supplying, logistics and payments. By integrating these functionalities on a single platform, Matta enables manufacturers to navigate sourcing headaches and suppliers to manage cross-border complexities with confidence and unlocks new markets in Africa in real time. This holistic approach is what will transform digital trade's potential into tangible, inclusive economic growth across Africa.' Mudiaga Mowoe, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Matta. Launched to enable sustainable African economies, Matta's integrated ecosystem—today powered by the Matta digital marketplace ( and the Flux logistics management tool, with Oxide Finance (Matta's upcoming trade-financing and cross-border payments platform) arriving soon—empowers manufacturers and suppliers across food&beverage, home&personal care, paints&coatings, agro-processing, automotive assembly, textiles, construction, and beyond with truly end-to-end sourcing, movement, and settlement. Rather than supplanting traditional trade networks, this unified platform amplifies human partnerships through real-time visibility, traceability, and seamless transactions. This evolution in digital trade and industrial growth is one of the key conversations that will take centre stage at the West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing&Trade (West Africa IMT) Summit and Exhibition, set to take place from October 21-23, 2025. West Africa IMT is a high-level platform for government leaders, investors, manufacturers, and technology innovators to align practical solutions and policy frameworks for accelerating Africa's industrial transformation. Matta, Africa's integrated ecosystem for industrial trade, will join other industry stakeholders across the continent at West Africa IMT 2025 to discuss the potential opportunities for industrial growth in the West African sub-region. As manufacturers increasingly seek more innovative, more efficient ways to power production beyond physical infrastructure and policy support, there's an urgent need for systems that simplify sourcing, enhance transparency, and ensure supply chain reliability. Matta addresses these challenges by connecting African manufacturers directly to verified suppliers of raw materials and commodities, ensuring business continuity in an environment where procurement bottlenecks often slow production timelines. Digital platforms address multiple challenges simultaneously: procurement complexities, logistics coordination, payment processing, and data-based planning. By integrating these capabilities into industrial operations, West African economies can accelerate development timelines and establish competitive manufacturing centres that participate effectively in global markets. As African nations chart independent economic paths, digital trade platforms like Matta will significantly influence how quickly and effectively new industrial capabilities develop. The transformation in African trade is already underway, with effects that will continue to reshape economic relationships for years to come. West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing&Trade Summit&Exhibition 21-23 October 2025 I Landmark Centre | Lagos | Nigeria Distributed by APO Group on behalf of dmg Nigeria events. Contact Details: Roshan Jan-Mahomed Head of Marketing – Africa Email: info@ A bout the West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing&Trade Summit and Exhibition 2025: The Pre-eminent Global Gathering Driving West Africa's Industrial Revolution The West Africa Industrialisation, Manufacturing and Trade (West Africa IMT) Summit and Exhibition will unite the industrialisation ecosystem, including energy, finance, infrastructure, manufacturing, raw materials, logistics/supply chain, technology, trade and security, to accelerate a sustainable industrial revolution for West Africa. As governments across the region have declared industrialisation as a key priority, the Strategic Summit will feature the visions from Heads of government seeking public–private partnerships to drive industrial revolution across the region. Decisive action is at the core of the agenda, providing solutions for sustainable resource valorisation and opening up trade pathways for economic development and prosperity. Participation is expected from across the global industrialisation value chain including the following industries: Aerospace, Agriculture, Automotive, Chemicals, Construction, Energy&Utilities, FCMG, Heavy Industries, ICT&Electronics, Infrastructure, Logistics&Transportation, Machine&Equipment, Maritime, Medical, Mining, Plastics&Rubber, Pharmaceuticals, Retail, Technology Solution Providers, Textiles, Water&Utilities. ● 15+ African ministers ● 25+ countries represented from around the globe ● 70+ expert industry speakers ● 250+ exhibiting companies ● 500+ conference delegates ● 2,500+ attendees About dmg Nigeria events: dmg Nigeria events is a subsidiary of dmg events. dmg events is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc (DMGT), an international portfolio of information, media and events businesses. DMGT manages a diverse, multinational portfolio of companies, with total revenues of around £1 billion, that provide businesses and consumers with compelling information, analysis, insight, events, news and entertainment. Its venture capital business, dmg ventures, holds minority stakes in early-stage businesses and focuses particularly on disruptive consumer media propositions. Headquartered in Dubai, UAE since 1989 with offices in Canada, Egypt, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and the UK. dmg events is an international exhibition, conference and intelligence company, attracting more than 1,000,000 attendees to a portfolio of over 80 events each year. This global portfolio works closely with key stakeholders across the industry to facilitate pragmatic dialogue, serving as a platform for the latest discussions at the forefront of change. For more information on dmg events, visit:
