With one billion people spread across the continent, Africa is a region with huge aviation potential.

The industry currently supports 6.8 million jobs and contributes $72.5bn in GDP, according to figures published by the International Air Transport Association. Over the next 20 years passenger demand is set to grow by an average of 5.7 percent annually.

However, concerns about safety, a lack of intra-Africa air connectivity, poor infrastructure and high government taxes means the continent is struggling to take advantage of the immense opportunities that exist.

The long-awaited SAATM is seeking to address these issues and put measures in place that will liberalise civil aviation across Africa and open up new routes. The project is being launched on 28 January 2018 by African Union, a partnership consisting of all 55 countries on the continent.

It is part of the organisation’s Agenda 2063 strategy, a framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years. Aviation plays a central role in the overall masterplan, seen as a driver to economic growth, job creation and better integration.

“With preparations continuing on schedule, the launch of the Single African Air Transport Market will spur more opportunities to promote trade, cross-border investments in the production and service industries, including tourism resulting in the creation of an additional 300,000 direct and two million indirect jobs contributing immensely to the integration and socio-economic growth of the continent,” said Amani Abou-Zeid, commissioner for infrastructure and energy at African Union.

SAATM comes almost two decades after the Yamoussoukro Decision which outlined steps for the full liberalisation of market access between African states, the free exercise of traffic rights, the elimination of restrictions on ownership and the full liberalisation of frequencies, fares and capacities.

So far, 23 of the 55 countries have signed up to SAATM whereas 44 African countries have signed the Yamoussoukro Decision. Once implemented, eligible airlines of the 23 countries are entitled to fully operate the traffic rights provided for in the Yamoussoukro Decision.

Abou-Zeid added: “As the first of the 12 African Union’s Agenda 2063 flagship projects to be launched, the implementation of SAATM will pave the way for other flagship projects as the African Passport and enabling the Free Movement of People, the Continental Free Trade Area.”

However, not everyone is convinced by the potential SAATM offers. Airline Operators of Nigeria has urged the country’s government not to sign any treaty that will negatively impact on the future of Nigeria. Its chairman, captain Nogie Megisson, said the country needed to focus on local carriers before discussing Open Skies policies.

He told reporters: “Why are we rushing for an open skies policy? We must think as Nigerians and put Nigeria first. If we open the sky, what advantage are we bringing to Nigeria?"

SAATM will be launched at the AU Summit on 28 January, taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The 23 countries currently signed up to SAATM are Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo and Zimbabwe.