Çelebi Aviation, a Turkish ground handling services company, is pulling out of Tanzania after the expiry of its concession agreement, to deepen its commitment to Kenya, a market recently entered through a KSh 5.2 billion acquisition.
- •The cargo services provider said the decision to exit Tanzania follows a review of operating conditions and forms part of a broader strategy to concentrate on markets deemed to offer higher long-term value, and it is not a contraction of its regional footprint.
- •Çelebi will reinforce its position in Kenya following its acquisition of Transglobal Cargo Centre Ltd, a ground handling and cargo operator at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
- •The Nairobi facility handles air cargo operations at the region’s busiest airport, which accounts for roughly a fifth of the country’s annual air freight volumes.
Kenya’s aviation cargo market, estimated to grow at about 5% annually over the next five years, has become a focal point for global logistics and ground handling companies betting on East Africa’s expanding trade flows. The deal gave Çelebi immediate operational access to airport infrastructure and cargo services in a market positioned as a regional logistics gateway.
Çelebi’s exit from Tanzania comes as it expands across Europe, Asia, and Africa, where it operates ground handling and cargo services for hundreds of airline customers.
The shift highlights a broader pattern among global aviation service providers increasingly concentrating capital and management attention on select high-growth hubs rather than maintaining uniform regional coverage.
Founded in 1958, Çelebi Aviation is among Türkiye’s earliest privately owned ground-handling firms. The company is publicly listed on Borsa Istanbul, Türkiye’s stock exchange.
