Image Source: SMH The air route between Africa and Asia recorded 41.6% growth in cargo demand in January 2026 compared to a year earlier, making it the fastest-growing trade lane in the world, according to new data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Global air cargo demand, by comparison, grew just 5.6%. Between the lines: January marked the seventh consecutive month of strong expansion on the corridor, and African carriers as a whole posted the highest regional cargo growth—for shipments including electronics and industrial items—at 18.2%, outpacing Middle Eastern, Asian, and European airlines. But there is a useful caveat: the Africa to Asia lane still accounts for just 1.3% of total global air cargo. The growth rate is eye-catching, partly because the base is so...