Global average airport infrastructure investment totalled US$800 billion (R14,7 trillion) in 2018, according to the Centre for Aviation (CAPA). However, in 2022, the report found it had dropped to about US$566 billion (R10,4 trillion), indicating airport investment and development took a back seat during the pandemic.
The airport development industry has had to refocus in four ways due to post-pandemic instability: operational resilience, the affordability of infrastructure, the deployment of new technologies and the need for sustainability.
Although African countries receive some of the least investment in the development of airports and the construction of new airports, the continent has many new airport projects, according to CAPAs Global airport construction and investment report mid-2024.
Although Africa has very few general airport development projects underway, it has many new airport constructions, following Asia-Pacific in first place and Europe in second with the most new airport constructions.
In Africa, there are 24 known infrastructure projects at airports, worth a total of US$2,3 billion (R42,2 billion). Three South African airport developments placed in the top 10 existing projects in Africa, measured by investment:
