IATA AFRAA AASA Oppose Airline Funding of Border Security Systems
African airlines and global aviation bodies have formally rejected moves by governments to shift the cost of Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record systems onto carriers and travellers, arguing that border security remains a core state responsibility that should be funded from national budgets.
In a joint statement, the African Airlines Association, the Airlines Association of Southern Africa and the International Air Transport Association said they support the deployment of API and PNR systems across the continent because the data helps strengthen border controls, support law enforcement and facilitate legitimate travel. They insisted, however, that the systems must not be financed through new or expanded charges on airlines or passengers.
The statement, signed by AFRAA Secretary-General Abdérahmane Berthé, AASA Chief Executive Officer Aaron Munetsi and IATA Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East Kamil Alawadhi, cited the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Policies on Charges for Airports and Air Navigation Services, contained in Doc 9082. Those policies recognise border security as a government function. Consequently, the associations said, costs linked to API and PNR programmes should be borne by states rather than the industry or its customers.
Passing the bill to airlines and passengers, they warned, would raise the price of air travel, weaken connectivity and reduce the wider economic benefits that aviation generates through tourism, trade and investment. The industry is already operating under high cost pressures. According to IATA data presented at its Focus Africa conference earlier in 2026, taxes and charges imposed by governments and infrastructure providers in Africa are about 15 per cent higher than the global average. Tanzania’s API-PNR charge of $45 one way remains the highest recorded globally, while charges in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya also exceed global norms.
In Nigeria, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority introduced an additional $11.50 security levy under the Advance Passenger Information System with effect from 1 December 2025. Combined with an existing $20 security charge, the total security-related levy on international tickets reached $31.50. Airlines collect the fee at the point of ticket sale and remit it to the NCAA. The authority has indicated that the levy is intended to support a single-window security platform and passenger data systems and is expected to generate substantial annual revenue over a planned 20-year period. Nigeria collected about $62 million from airline ticket taxes in 2024, according to IATA figures.
The associations called on governments implementing API and PNR systems to put clear legal and operational frameworks in place before deployment and to ensure that national programmes conform to ICAO standards and other internationally recognised practices. Four principles should guide the systems: legality, proportionality, purpose limitation, and consistency and accuracy.
On legality, they said states must establish clear laws governing the collection, processing and transfer of passenger data, consistent with international standards and applicable bilateral or regional agreements. Proportionality requires that authorities collect only the information genuinely needed for the stated purpose. Data should not be retained indefinitely but for a clearly defined period, and risk-assessment processes must include safeguards against discrimination. Purpose limitation means the information should be used only for legitimate aims such as border control, national security, law enforcement and the prevention of serious crime. Consistency and accuracy demand harmonised global data formats and strong protections for personal information.
The organisations stressed that they are not opposed to passenger-data systems. Their objection is to approaches that create unnecessary costs, inconsistent requirements and avoidable burdens. “We support the implementation of Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record data transfer and recognise the important role passenger data plays in keeping borders secure,” the joint statement said. “However, these systems must be aligned around internationally recognised standards and funded correctly.”
A coordinated approach between governments and the industry, they added, would improve security outcomes, make travel more seamless, safeguard personal data and avoid unnecessary costs and complexity.
The debate comes against a backdrop of relatively low historical adoption of these systems in Africa. At the end of 2023, ICAO and IATA data indicated that only about 11 of 54 African countries had implemented API and eight had adopted PNR, despite ICAO Annex 9 standards making the systems mandatory. Nigeria has advanced its own framework, including legislation under the Civil Aviation Act and operational arrangements involving the Nigeria Immigration Service as a single window for data.
Aviation’s economic stakes are significant. Across Africa, air transport supported 8.1 million jobs and contributed $75 billion to GDP in 2023, according to the Air Transport Action Group and Oxford Economics analysis. In Nigeria, IATA has reported that the sector contributes $2.5 billion to GDP and supports more than 217,000 jobs, including direct employment of about 39,500 people. Tourism facilitated by air travel adds further value through visitor spending.
Industry representatives have long argued that high taxes and charges suppress demand and limit the sector’s ability to deliver broader development benefits. An ECOWAS decision in December 2025 to eliminate certain aviation taxes and reduce selected charges by 25 per cent remains a reference point for reform, though full and consistent national implementation is still required.
The associations said they remain committed to working with governments, regional institutions and international partners to support passenger-data programmes that enhance security while enabling safe, efficient and affordable air transport. Whether African states will adjust funding models for API and PNR systems in line with the ICAO principles they cite will shape both the cost of flying and the effectiveness of border controls in the years ahead.
API PNR, African aviation, IATA AFRAA, Nigeria security levy