This week we are joined on The SAF Podcast by Kwame Bekoe, AfriSAF. With over 20 years of aviation experience spanning engineering, sales, and sustainability, Kwame shares his vision for Africa as a major player in the global SAF industry. He discusses how the continent’s vast agricultural residue—estimated at over 150 million tons annually—can be leveraged to produce SAF, fostering energy independence and economic growth.

We examine AfriSAF’s model of integrating smallholder farmers into a data-driven supply chain, using digital platforms and pilot biodigester projects to prove the value of waste-to-energy conversion. Kwame outlines how AfriSAF is targeting scalable SAF production in countries like Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and many others. 

What makes this particularly compelling is how it addresses multiple challenges simultaneously. For African nations struggling with energy security, SAF production offers domestic fuel sources at potentially competitive prices – Kwame suggests Africa could be one of the few places where SAF might achieve cost parity with conventional jet fuel. For rural communities facing limited economic opportunities, these projects create meaningful employment that keeps people connected to their agricultural roots while participating in the green economy. And for a continent with the world's youngest population (averaging just 19 years old) that's projected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2050, developing sustainable industries now creates the foundation for long-term prosperity.

The challenges are substantial – from infrastructure limitations to investor risk perception – but the momentum is building. With the African Continental Free Trade Area creating the world's largest open market and continental initiatives promoting easier movement across borders, the conditions for a thriving pan-African SAF industry are emerging. Through strategic partnerships with governments, airlines, and financial institutions, Africa need not just be a consumer of sustainable aviation fuel but could eventually become a significant global producer and exporter.

Want to learn more about SAF development in emerging markets? Join us at SAF Investor London on May 28-29th, and you can find out more here: https://www.safinvestor.com/event/145508/saf-investor-london-2025/