The Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Adefunke Adeyemi, has unveiled a new continental call to action aimed at accelerating the inclusion of women and youth in Africa’s rapidly expanding aviation sector.
Speaking to mark International Women’s Day, Adeyemi said the initiative, titled “Give One Thing,” aligns with the global theme “Give to Gain” and seeks to translate symbolic commitments into measurable actions across the continent’s aviation ecosystem.
She noted that Africa’s aviation industry is entering a transformative decade driven by integration, policy reforms, and market expansion under frameworks such as the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. AFCAC serves as the executing agency for SAATM and the Yamoussoukro Decision, with a mandate to foster a safe, secure, efficient, cost-effective, environmentally sustainable air transport system across Africa.
According to Adeyemi, achieving these ambitions requires strong human capital development, inclusive participation, and leadership renewal—areas the commission is targeting through its African Women and Youth in Aviation Initiative (AWAYA).
She disclosed that the initiative is built on five strategic pillars and has already recorded measurable progress. Over the past year, AFCAC sponsored targeted training and skills development programmes that brought together women and young professionals from across the aviation value chain. The commission also launched the AWAYA Scholarship in 2025 and renewed it for 2026 to expand access to technical and managerial advancement opportunities.
More than 150 women and youths have benefited from AWAYA programmes so far, while two continental speaker series have been organised to spotlight regional achievements and inspire broader participation.
To strengthen coordination and long-term planning, AFCAC has established a continental AWAYA database and digital platform to map talent distribution, monitor progress, and deepen the professional pipeline across member states. The commission has also secured strategic partnerships with ecosystem stakeholders to scale the initiative’s reach and impact.
Adeyemi emphasised that the programmes represent structured investments in human capital required to sustain SAATM’s implementation and position Africa to meet projected aviation growth. Industry forecasts indicate the continent will become the world’s second fastest-growing aviation market over the next 25 years.
She said the newly launched Give One Thing campaign invites women, youth, industry leaders, institutions, and partners to commit to one tangible, measurable action within the 2026 calendar year that advances inclusion and leadership development.
“The model is intentionally simple—one defined commitment that is actionable, accountable, and measurable,” she said.
Adeyemi explained that contributions could range from expanding access to training and capacity building to creating space in governance processes, mentoring emerging professionals, and sponsoring leadership opportunities.
Participation in the initiative is voluntary and does not constitute formal governance representation, but signals alignment with broader sector development goals, she added.
AFCAC will conduct a voluntary mid-year review and publish a year-end continental impact report to assess measurable gains recorded under the initiative.
“When we give deliberately, African aviation gains intentionally,” Adeyemi said. “It gains resilience, expertise, and leadership continuity. Inclusion is not separate from growth—it is a fundamental part of it.”
