Tanzania’s aviation sector soars as passenger numbers surge past six million

“The number of passengers rose to 6,037,444 from 5,080,920 recorded in the same period during the 2023/24 financial year,” said Prof Mbarawa when tabling his budget speech.

“This growth is a result of ongoing infrastructure improvements and increasing demand from both domestic and international markets,” he added.

According to the minister, domestic travel accounted for 3.2 million passengers, a 15.6 percent rise from the previous year, while international air traffic surged by 22.6 percent to 2.83 million travelers.

Cargo traffic also expanded, with 33,112.5 tonnes of goods transported during the said period — a 20 percent increase.

The bulk of this, 30,637.2 tonnes, was shipped abroad, while the remaining 2,475.3 tonnes were handled within Tanzania.

The acquisition of a new cargo aircraft by Air Tanzania (ATCL) has significantly bolstered the country's freight capacity, according to the minister.

Regulatory reforms

The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has played a pivotal role in regulating the sector, including overseeing 15 major airports across the country, such as Julius Nyerere International (Dar es Salaam), Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, and Mwanza.

The authority also continues to manage high-altitude airspace over Burundi, delegated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Between July 2024 and March 2025, the TCAA inspected 17 newly registered aircraft, including a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, ATRs, helicopters, and small aircraft. An additional 142 aircraft underwent airworthiness inspections.

Tanzania has also expanded its global aviation footprint by signing three new Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASAs) with Uzbekistan, Benin, and Latvia — bringing the total number of BASAs to 88, up from 85 last year.

As a result, 30 international airlines now operate flights to and from Tanzania, compared to 25 in the same period the previous year.

“This expansion has been driven in part by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s international tourism promotion efforts, particularly through the documentary Tanzania: The Royal Tour,” said Minister Mbarawa.

Strengthening air safety

In a bid to improve safety and operational efficiency, the government has upgraded air-to-ground communication systems at 12 airports and established 18 new VHF relay stations in various parts of the country, including remote areas such as Matogoro (Songea), Nambunga (Mtwara), and Mugumu (Serengeti).

TCAA has also completed the installation of weather broadcasting systems (D-ATIS) at Julius Nyerere and Abeid Amani Karume International Airports.

“The JNIA system is already in use, while the Zanzibar system is expected to be operational by the end of May 2025,” said Prof Mbarawa.

“A contractor has also been secured to implement an Instrument Landing System (ILS) at JNIA to enhance aircraft landing capabilities, with progress currently at 5 percent,” he added.

Further, a new aviation training centre is under development to build local capacity.

The project will take three years and is expected to strengthen Tanzania’s ability to train aviation professionals both locally and across the region.

Aircraft accident investigation unit launched

According to Prof Mbarawa, the government has officially established an independent Aircraft Accident Investigation Unit to improve transparency and accountability.

This follows a 2009 directive to separate accident investigations from the aviation regulator.

He said the unit is tasked with conducting independent inquiries into aircraft incidents, identifying root causes, and issuing safety recommendations, which aligns with international best practices outlined in the 1944 Chicago Convention and ICAO's Annex 13.