Geneva, Switzerland – Africa recorded the highest aviation accident rate globally in 2025 despite an improvement in safety performance across the region. The International Air Transport Association disclosed this in its 2025 Annual Safety Report released on Monday.
Okay News reports that Africa recorded seven accidents in 2025, with an all-accident rate of 7.86 per million sectors. This represents a decline from 12.13 per million sectors in 2024, but remains the highest among all global regions.
While accident rates declined compared with the previous year, fatality risks increased during the year. Fatality risk rose from zero in 2024 to 2.19 in 2025, reflecting fatal incidents during the period.
The most common accident types were runway excursions and other end state events. Seventy-one percent of accidents involving Africa-based operators occurred with turboprop aircraft, highlighting operational and infrastructure challenges affecting these aircraft types.
Africa accounts for the majority of other end state incidents recorded globally since 2018. This points to the need for stronger compliance with accident investigation requirements under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, particularly Annex 13 which governs aircraft accident investigations.
Globally, aviation safety performance improved slightly in 2025 as the overall accident rate declined. The global all-accident rate improved to 1.32 per million flights in 2025, compared with 1.42 per million flights recorded in 2024.
The industry recorded 51 accidents across 38.7 million flights in 2025, compared with 54 accidents across 37.9 million flights in 2024. Fatal accidents increased slightly to eight in 2025 from seven in 2024, while on-board fatalities rose to 394, higher than 244 deaths recorded in 2024.
The Asia-Pacific region recorded six accidents, with the accident rate improving to 0.91 per million sectors. Europe recorded 11 accidents with the accident rate declining to 1.30 per million sectors, although still above the five-year average.
North America recorded 16 accidents, pushing the accident rate to 1.68 per million sectors. The Latin America and Caribbean region recorded five accidents with the accident rate improving slightly to 1.77 per million sectors.
The Middle East and North Africa region recorded only one accident in 2025 with an improved accident rate of 0.53 per million sectors. North Asia recorded one non-fatal tail strike accident, leaving the accident rate unchanged at 0.16 per million sectors.
Despite the increase in fatalities, aviation remains the safest form of long-distance travel. Long-term safety performance has improved over the past decade.
Nigeria has recorded several aviation incidents in recent years, although most have not resulted in fatalities. Some incidents reported in 2025 involved technical issues experienced during landing operations.
Some Nigerian domestic airlines are not members of the International Air Transport Association, meaning the association’s safety report may not capture every aviation incident occurring within the country.
