Emirates SkyCargo Facilitates Global Trade, Celebrates39 Years Of Connecting Africa

In 2024, the airline carried an average of over 3,800 tonnes in and out of Afri­ca every week, via 20 gateways

As the logistics industry comes together in Nairobi at Air Cargo Afri­ca, Emirates SkyCargo reaffirms its near-four-decade commitment to the continent. With an average of 3,820 tonnes carried in and out of Africa every week, the airline strengthens trade lanes and connects African man­ufacturers, traders and exporters with businesses all over the world.

“Africa has been a priority market for Emirates SkyCargo since our first flight to the continent in 1986. Since then, we’ve gone from strength to strength,” said Khalid Al Hinai, Vice President of Cargo Commercial, Emir­ates SkyCargo – Africa, UAE and the Middle East. “It is an exciting time to serve Africa, with the potential game-changing policies such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is set to shape the region’s economic development and boost trade potential both regionally and internationally. As a facilitator of trade, we are committed to connecting underserved markets to global supply chains, creating reciprocal econom­ic and business opportunities that strengthen global economies

Emirates SkyCargo first began op­erations in Africa in April 1986 – less than one year after establishing oper­ations – with direct flights between Dubai and Cairo, Egypt.

Over the 39 years, the airline steadi­ly scaled operations, increasing capac­ity, gateways, and frequencies to better serve local and global customers.

Now, in 2025, Emirates SkyCargo operates eight scheduled freighters and 172 passenger planes to 20 desti­nations across the region every week. With over 145 destinations on its vast global network, Emirates SkyCargo facilitates the quick and efficient trans­portation of goods, supporting African businesses to import and export their goods across the world.

Emirates SkyCargo plays an es­sential role in global trade, keeping goods moving to and from key African markets. In 2024, Emirates SkyCargo exported over 91,930 tonnes of perish­able goods from African destinations, making it the largest commodity uplift from the region.

Transported via ventilated and temperature-controlled packaging, the freight division moves strawber­ries from Egypt, seafood from South Africa, chilled meat from Tanzania, fresh and cut fruits from Ghana and bananas from Uganda, to name just a few.

Horticulture is also an essential in­dustry in Africa. Kenya, in particular, is one of the top four flower-producing countries in the world, with an ideal environment to grow consumer favou­rites such as roses, carnations, and chrysanthemums.Emirates SkyCargo operates a twice-weekly freighter into Nairobi and on to Maastricht in the Netherlands, transporting fresh cut flowers in a temperature-regulated cool chain from farm to florist in as little as 24 hours.