Reported Simon Daniel Yusuph l journalist at wengglobal
African airlines and aviation industry groups have intensified opposition to government-imposed charges associated with Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems, arguing that the cost of border-security programmes should not be transferred to airlines or passengers.
The dispute is gaining renewed attention across the continent after the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) jointly urged African governments to align API and PNR programmes with international standards and reconsider the way such systems are funded.
In a joint statement issued on July 30, 2026, the three aviation organisations acknowledged the security importance of passenger-data systems but argued that governments should finance programmes established primarily for border control and national security. They said charging airlines or passengers for these programmes increases the cost of air travel, undermines connectivity and potentially weakens the economic contribution of aviation to tourism, trade and investment. (IATA)
The intervention places API-PNR charges at the centre of a broader debate over the cost of operating airlines in Africa, where taxes, regulatory fees, infrastructure charges and other government-imposed costs remain significantly higher than global averages.
What are API and PNR systems?
Advance Passenger Information, commonly known as API, refers to passenger identity information collected from travel documents and transmitted by airlines to government authorities before a flight arrives or departs.
Passenger Name Record, or PNR, contains information associated with a passenger’s reservation. According to IATA, PNR information can include a passenger’s name, itinerary and ticket information, among other booking-related details. Unlike API, which is generally generated from travel-document information during check-in, PNR data originates from the booking process. (IATA)
These systems have become increasingly important to modern border management.
The World Customs Organization explains that passenger information allows border authorities to conduct risk-based assessments before travellers arrive, enabling agencies to identify potential security concerns and facilitate legitimate travel. API and PNR therefore form an important part of contemporary aviation security and border-control architecture. (WCOOMD)
The airline industry’s objection is not primarily to the collection or use of the information.
Instead, the central issue is who should pay for the infrastructure and administrative systems used by governments to process the data.
Airlines support security but reject the funding model
AFRAA, AASA and IATA said they support API and PNR systems when they are implemented under appropriate legal, technical and operational frameworks.
Their concern is that governments in some African countries are increasingly imposing charges on airlines and passengers to finance systems that serve national border-security objectives.
The organisations pointed specifically to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s policies on charges for airports and air navigation services, arguing that border security is a government responsibility and that related costs should be funded by states rather than passed to airlines or travellers. (IATA)
The industry groups also called for clear legal frameworks, proportional collection of passenger information, defined data-retention periods, secure information transfer and restrictions on the use of passenger data to legitimate purposes such as border control, security and law enforcement.
That position reflects a broader concern about balancing security with affordability, privacy and operational efficiency.
For airlines, every additional mandatory charge can feed into the cost structure of operating a route. Where the cost is ultimately incorporated into ticket prices, passengers may bear at least part of the financial burden.
Africa’s aviation costs already exceed global averages
The dispute comes as African aviation continues to confront a high-cost operating environment.
IATA said in April 2026 that taxes and charges imposed by governments and infrastructure providers across Africa were approximately 15 per cent above the global average. The association identified rising API-PNR charges as one of the areas requiring urgent attention. (IATA)
Tanzania has emerged as the most prominent example. IATA said the country’s API-PNR charge of US$45 one way is the highest such charge globally.
The association also identified Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya as countries where API-PNR charges exceed global norms. (IATA)
The EastAfrican similarly reported IATA’s concerns about the increasing cost of aviation in Africa, noting that government taxes and charges contribute to an operating environment that is approximately 15 per cent more expensive than the global average. (The EastAfrican)
For an industry already dealing with expensive fuel, aircraft maintenance, financing, infrastructure limitations and relatively fragmented markets, additional passenger-related charges can create further pressure.
Nigeria among countries facing scrutiny
Nigeria is part of the wider continental debate.
IATA has repeatedly identified Nigeria among African markets where aviation-related charges exceed global norms. Nigerian media reports have subsequently examined the impact of taxes, levies and regulatory charges on airfares.
Punch reported in May that Nigeria’s aviation charges were under renewed scrutiny following IATA’s assessment of the African aviation market. The report cited the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria as acknowledging that aviation charges across Africa were about 15 per cent above global averages, while noting the contribution of multiple taxes and statutory levies to ticket prices. (Punch Newspapers)
Pulse Nigeria also reported that Nigeria’s aviation cost structure includes several government-imposed charges and highlighted the additional security-related levy associated with the country’s passenger-information system. (Pulse Nigeria)
These developments make the continental API-PNR debate particularly relevant to Nigerian travellers and airlines.
Nigeria is one of Africa’s largest aviation markets, and the cost of air travel has become a recurring concern for passengers, businesses and tourism operators. Any additional mandatory charge can have implications for affordability and demand, especially on international routes.
Kenya provides another example
Kenya has also implemented an API-PNR charging framework.
Information published by Kenya’s Directorate of Immigration Services states that a fee of US$4.95 per eligible passenger and travel segment applies to international arrivals, departures and transits, excluding applicable taxes. The charge became effective from December 1, 2025, under the country’s API-PNR framework. (borders.immigration.go.ke)
The Kenyan framework illustrates the practical issue confronting airlines: carriers are required not only to transmit passenger information but also to integrate the applicable charge into ticketing, revenue accounting and remittance processes.
From an airline perspective, such arrangements create administrative obligations in addition to the underlying cost.
The industry groups now want African governments to adopt a more consistent continental approach rather than allowing divergent charging structures to develop across individual jurisdictions.
Industry warns of impact on connectivity
The argument extends beyond the price of an individual airline ticket.
African aviation remains essential to regional trade, tourism, business travel and economic integration. Airlines connect markets that are often separated by long distances and limited road or rail alternatives.
Higher aviation charges can affect route economics. If a route becomes more expensive to operate or passengers become less willing to pay higher fares, airlines may face weaker demand.
Over time, this can influence decisions about frequency, aircraft deployment and route viability.
IATA has therefore argued that governments should view aviation as an economic enabler rather than primarily as a source of revenue. Its April assessment linked excessive charges to distorted ticket prices and weaker connectivity. (IATA)
The concern is particularly important for intra-African travel, where airlines already operate within fragmented markets and face substantial regulatory and infrastructure challenges.
Security remains a central justification
Governments, however, have a legitimate interest in strengthening border security.
API and PNR systems can provide immigration, customs, security and law-enforcement authorities with information before a passenger reaches the border. Properly designed systems can support risk assessment and help authorities identify potential threats while facilitating legitimate travellers.
The industry is not calling for governments to abandon these systems.
Instead, AFRAA, AASA and IATA are advocating for systems that are legally grounded, proportionate, secure and compatible with global standards. (IATA)
The distinction matters because efficient passenger-data systems can benefit both governments and travellers when they reduce unnecessary delays and improve border processing.
The debate is therefore about governance and financing rather than whether passenger-data systems should exist.
Data protection adds another dimension
Passenger information is sensitive, making data protection an important component of API and PNR programmes.
IATA notes that PNR records can contain sensitive personal information and that the accuracy of such records is not guaranteed. (IATA)
The aviation organisations are consequently calling for governments to collect only information necessary for defined purposes, establish retention periods and ensure secure storage and transfer.
They also emphasised that data should be used for legitimate purposes, including border control, security, law enforcement and the prevention of serious crime. (IATA)
For African governments developing or expanding passenger-data systems, these safeguards will be important in maintaining public confidence while ensuring that security objectives are met.
ICAO standards at the heart of the dispute
The disagreement also highlights the importance of internationally harmonised aviation regulations.
African airlines operate across multiple national jurisdictions, each potentially imposing different taxes, fees, data requirements and reporting systems.
A fragmented approach can increase compliance costs and create operational complications for carriers serving several African destinations.
AFRAA, AASA and IATA are therefore calling for African states to implement API and PNR programmes in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization standards and established global practices. (IATA)
An ICAO workshop report on aviation user charges also noted significant differences in API-PNR charges among African countries and highlighted the potential impact of these fees on airline financial performance. It recommended that countries yet to adopt such systems carefully assess available options and consult airlines when selecting systems and vendors. (ICAO)
That recommendation points to a possible pathway forward: governments can retain responsibility for border security while working with airlines to develop efficient, interoperable and financially sustainable data systems.
A policy test for African aviation
The latest dispute arrives at a critical moment for African aviation.
Governments across the continent are seeking additional resources for security, infrastructure and public services, while airlines are operating under pressure to keep fares competitive and maintain connectivity.
The challenge is finding a funding model that does not undermine either objective.
For governments, API and PNR systems can provide valuable security capabilities. For airlines, however, charges associated with government border programmes can add to already substantial operating costs. For passengers, those costs can eventually be reflected in ticket prices.
The solution may therefore require greater transparency over how charges are calculated, who benefits from the systems, what services the fees finance and whether the costs comply with international aviation principles.
For Nigeria and other major African aviation markets, the outcome could have consequences beyond airline balance sheets.
Lower aviation costs could support tourism, trade, business mobility and regional integration. Conversely, a continued accumulation of taxes and charges could make air travel less accessible and discourage the development of new routes.
The position advanced by AFRAA, AASA and IATA is clear: Africa can strengthen border security without making airlines and passengers the primary financiers of government security programmes.
The next stage will depend on how governments respond.
If African states can align API and PNR systems with ICAO standards, establish appropriate data-protection safeguards and adopt funding mechanisms consistent with international principles, the continent could achieve stronger border security without placing additional pressure on already expensive air travel.
For WengGlobal, the issue is ultimately larger than a single aviation charge. It is a question of how Africa balances national security, passenger privacy, airline sustainability and affordable connectivity in an increasingly integrated global aviation system.
Sources
- International Air Transport Association (IATA) — Joint industry call for African governments to align API and PNR programmes with international standards and fund border-security systems appropriately. (IATA)
- International Air Transport Association (IATA) — April 2026 assessment of African aviation costs and rising API-PNR charges. (IATA)
- World Customs Organization (WCO) — Background and international guidance on API and PNR passenger-data systems. (WCOOMD)
- The EastAfrican — Reporting on aviation taxes, charges and the growing cost of air travel in Africa. (The EastAfrican)
- Punch Nigeria — Coverage of aviation charges and the impact of taxes and levies on Nigerian airfares. (Punch Newspapers)
- Pulse Nigeria — Analysis of government charges and their contribution to the cost of flying in Nigeria. (Pulse Nigeria)
- Kenya Directorate of Immigration Services — Official API/PNR fee framework and carrier requirements. (borders.immigration.go.ke)
- Aviation Metric — Coverage of the joint AFRAA, AASA and IATA position on API-PNR programmes. (Aviation Metric)
