AFRICAN AVIATION AWARDS
Celebrating Excellence in African Aviation Since 1999
Celebrating Excellence in African Aviation Since 1999
The prestigious African Aviation Awards were established in 1999 by African Aviation Services to provide international recognition to organizations, companies, and individuals making outstanding contributions to aviation development across Africa. For over two decades, these awards have honored the leaders, innovators, and achievers driving the continent's aviation industry forward.
Rigorous Evaluation by Industry Experts
Each year, African Aviation Services conducts an extensive evaluation of the African aviation industry in close consultation with leading aviation experts from within and outside Africa, as well as with aviation industry stakeholders and consumers.
In addition, the aviation community—including visitors to the AFRICAN AVIATION website and readers of AFRICAN AVIATION magazine—can vote online to select their preferred choice in each award category, ensuring the awards reflect both expert opinion and industry sentiment.
Award Categories
Recognising excellence, leadership, and achievement across the African aviation industry.
Main African Aviation Awards
African Airline of the Year
Recognising the airline demonstrating outstanding operational performance, financial results, customer service, and contribution to African aviation development.
African Low Cost Carrier of the Year
Honouring the low-cost carrier showing excellence in business model execution, market development, and customer value.
African Cargo Airline of the Year
Celebrating excellence in air freight operations, service quality, network development, and contribution to trade facilitation.
African Airport of the Year
Recognising outstanding airport management, passenger experience, operational efficiency, and infrastructure development.
African Civil Aviation Authority of the Year
Honouring regulatory excellence, safety oversight, progressive policies, and support for aviation development.
Outstanding Achievement Award
Recognising exceptional contributions to advancing African aviation through innovation, leadership, or service.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Honouring careers of exemplary service and extraordinary contribution to the African aviation industry—the highest recognition in African aviation.
Air Finance Africa Awards
Air Finance Africa Deal of the Year
Recognising the most innovative, impactful, or significant aircraft financing transaction in Africa.
Aircraft Leasing Company of the Year
Honouring excellence in aircraft leasing services, customer support, and contribution to fleet development in Africa.
African Aviation Law Awards
African Aviation Law Firm of the Year
Recognising outstanding legal services to the African aviation sector by an African-based firm.
International Aviation Law Firm of the Year
Honouring exceptional aviation legal services to Africa by an international law firm.
African Aviation Lawyer of the Year
Celebrating individual excellence in aviation legal practice in Africa.
African Business Aviation Awards
African Business Aviation Awards
Recognising excellence and achievement in private and business aviation across Africa, highlighting operators, service providers, and individuals driving growth, safety, and innovation in the business aviation sector.
Help Us Recognise Excellence
Do you know an airline, organisation, airport, or individual making an outstanding contribution to African aviation? We encourage nominations from across the industry.
Nomination Criteria
- Demonstrated excellence in their field
- Significant impact on African aviation development
- Innovation and leadership
- Sustained commitment to the industry
For questions about eligibility, categories, or the nomination process, please contact:
Email: awards@africanaviation.com
Celebrating Two Decades of Excellence
Historic award ceremonies and recipients from across the African aviation industry.
1999 · African Airline of the Year
Kenya Airways won the African Airline of the Year Award. Presented to CEO Brian Davies in Washington, DC, by Ousman Ahmed Abani, Minister of Transport, Niger.
1999 · Individual Achievement
Col. (rtd) Semret Medhane, former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines and Secretary General of AFRAA, received an Individual Achievement Award for outstanding services to the African aviation industry.
1999 · Individual Achievement
Engineer Mohammed Fahim Rayan, Chairman & CEO of EgyptAir, received an Individual Achievement Award for outstanding services to the African aviation industry.
1999 · Individual Achievement
Captain Mohammed Ahmed, Secretary General of AFRAA and former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, received an Individual Achievement Award for outstanding services to the African aviation industry.
1999 · Individual Achievement
Sir Harry Tirvengadum, Director General of Air Afrique and former Chairman & CEO of Air Mauritius, received an Individual Achievement Award for outstanding services to the African aviation industry.
2000 · African Airline of the Year
Kenya Airways won the African Airline of the Year Award. Presented to Chairman Isaac Omolo Okero by Dr. Abdullah M. Omar, Minister of Transport, South Africa.
2000 · Individual Achievement
John Morrison, Chief Executive of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), received an Individual Achievement Award for outstanding services to the African aviation industry.
2001 · Individual Achievement
Rodney E. Slater, former United States Secretary of Transportation, received an Individual Achievement Award for his immense contribution to aviation development in Africa during the ‘Safe Skies for Africa’ Conference in Washington, DC. Presented by Air Vice Marshal Abdel Fattah M. Kato, President of AFCAC and Chairman of Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority.
2001 · Individual Achievement
Dr. Kema Chikwe, Nigeria’s first-ever female Minister of Aviation, received an Individual Achievement Award for outstanding services to the African aviation industry. Presented by Norman Y. Mineta, US Secretary of Transportation.
2003 · African Cargo Airline of the Year
DAS Air Cargo received the African Cargo Airline of the Year Award for an unprecedented fifth time in a row. Presented to Chairman and CEO Captain Joe Roy in Morocco by Michael Kafabusa Werikhe, Minister of Uganda.
2003 · Individual Achievement
Christian Folly-Kossi, Secretary General of AFRAA, received an Individual Achievement Award for outstanding services to the African aviation industry.
2003 · African Regional Airline of the Year
Bellview Airlines, Nigeria, won the African Regional Airline of the Year Award. Presented to founder and CEO Kayode Odukoya. Bellview Airlines also won the same Award in 2004.
2005 · Lifetime Achievement
Gert van der Veer, former Chairman and CEO of South African Airways and member of the IATA Training Fund, received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding services to African and international aviation. Congratulated by Sassy N’Diaye.
2004 · African Airline of the Year
Kenya Airways won the African Airline of the Year Award for the fourth time. Presented to CEO Titus Naikuni in Mauritius by Minister Michael Werikhe of Uganda.
2007 · Individual Achievement
Michael Shirima, founder and Chairman of Precisionair, Tanzania, received an Individual Achievement Award for his outstanding services to the African aviation industry.
Lifetime Achievement
Dr. Harold Demuren receives the African Aviation Lifetime Achievement Award from Mr. Nick Fadugba, CEO of African Aviation.
Lifetime Achievement
Dr. Harold Demuren receives the African Aviation Lifetime Achievement Award from Mr. Nick Fadugba, CEO of African Aviation.
Lifetime Achievement
Mrs. Elizabeth Onunga, Kenya Airways’ Area Manager, collects the Award on behalf of Dr. Titus Naikuni from Mr. Nick Fadugba, CEO of African Aviation.
Lifetime Achievement
Dr. Titus Naikuni receives the African Aviation Lifetime Achievement Award collected on his behalf by Mrs. Elizabeth Onunga.
2016 · Airline of the Year
Mr. Mesfin Tasew, Chief Operating Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, receives the African Aviation ‘Airline of the Year’ Award from Mr. Nick Fadugba, CEO of African Aviation, at the 25th Annual Air Finance Africa Conference and African Aviation Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
2016 · Air Finance Africa Award
Mr. David Minty, Head of Aviation Finance Africa at Investec Bank, receives the African Aviation Air Finance Africa Award from Mr. Nick Fadugba, CEO of African Aviation, at the 25th Annual Air Finance Africa Conference and African Aviation Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
2016 · Air Finance Africa Award
Mr. James Geldenhuys, Head of Aircraft Finance at Nedbank CIB, receives the African Aviation Air Finance Africa Award from Mr. Nick Fadugba, CEO of African Aviation, at the 25th Annual Air Finance Africa Conference and African Aviation Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
2016 · Air Finance Africa Award
Mr. Keith Watson, Senior Manager Engineering & Fleet at Comair, receives the African Aviation Air Finance Africa Award from Mr. Nick Fadugba, CEO of African Aviation, at the 25th Annual Air Finance Africa Conference and African Aviation Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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