Five African Airlines Launch Joint MRO Efficiency Drive

Five leading African airlines are joining forces to reduce costs, improve efficiency and enhance safety in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services across the continent. Royal Air Maroc, EgyptAir, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines’ MRO division and SAA Technical—the maintenance arm of South African Airways—will collaborate under an initiative unveiled by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).

An AFRAA spokeswoman confirmed that a dedicated task force has already been working on the concept, and a committee of the five carriers has now been formed to implement the plan. The initiative will be formally launched at the “Africa MRO” event to be staged by AFRAA in 2026, with the date and venue to be announced soon.

AFRAA Secretary-General Abderahmane Berthé introduced the collaboration at the 9th Aviation Africa Summit & Exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda, on September 4. “Africa’s MRO market is growing, but a large part of our maintenance is still outsourced outside the continent,” he said. “This collaboration among our five major MROs will help reduce costs, improve efficiency and enhance safety across the sector.”

Many African carriers currently depend on overseas MRO providers, which increases turnaround times, costs and operational disruptions. Local infrastructure remains limited, especially in West Africa, while skilled technician shortages and supply chain challenges persist.

Expanding local MRO capacity is critical to reducing these constraints. Ethiopian Airlines recently invested more than USD150 million to open three new MRO facilities in Addis Ababa, a model AFRAA hopes to replicate through this continent-wide partnership.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com