ABSTRACT
Air freight transportation plays a pivotal role in stimulating economic development and enabling supply chains growth. Air cargo drives global trade by carrying more than 6.7 $ trillion of goods’ value. Amid Covid Crisis, airfreight traffic remains essential in carrying nearly 1.5 million metric tons of medical equipment. Compared to normal demand pattern of 2019, air cargo volumes reached the levels of pre-pandemic period. In a dismal world air cargo market, African countries have continued to lead the international growth and reached by 2021 the highest pace of progress with 22.4% of growth. To sustain a positive pattern of development in Africa, it is relevant to develop a forecasting model using machine learning applications. Forecasting future market performance is essential for empowering planning processes. Nevertheless, only few researches have been developed for African countries. The main objective of this paper is to examine the driving factors of air cargo volume in Africa. For this purpose, we have applied machine learning algorithm to enhance the accuracy of data input and develop a reliable forecasting model. Findings and results emphasize that 28265774701 TY market of air cargo volume in Africa will contribute to GDP expansion by 13% over the next 20 years. This performance will help key stakeholders to improve African market and develop further prospects leading its potential growth © 2006-2021 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved.