“There is a requirement for 1,080 airplanes over the next 20 years worth about $140 billion,” Miguel Santos, Boeing International managing director for Africa told CCTV Africa. “That aside, there’s currently only 154 planes on order, which means somebody has to start placing orders for airplanes.”

According to Santos, some airline companies — which aren’t owned by government — are stuck in some sort of pipeline. Middle Eastern companies dominate the continent and provide the majority of convenient routes, the report said. The industry is welcoming billionaires, government and airline manufacturers to help bolster airline industries across the continent.