Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) offers Africa a major opportunity to cut aviation emissions, retain economic value, and create skilled jobs, according to Henok Shawl, Boeing Managing Director for Africa.

Currently dependent on imported jet fuel, African airlines face high costs and exposure to price and currency volatility.

With abundant agricultural and renewable resources, Africa is well positioned to produce SAF locally, lowering costs and building resilient value chains.

SAF can reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 80 per cent, but scaling production requires coordinated action on feedstocks, policy, and finance.

Combined with fuel-efficient aircraft, domestic SAF production can support connectivity, trade, jobs, and long-term economic growth across the continent.