The prestigious honour celebrates individuals whose careers have had a transformative impact on the development of the continent’s aviation industry and is named in honour of the legendary aviation leader Ato Girma Wake.

Munetsi is widely respected for his deep industry knowledge, leadership, and commitment to strengthening connectivity across Africa.

He spent more than 20 years with South African Airways (SAA), holding senior leadership roles across Africa and the Middle East. During this time, he led major network expansions, pioneered one of Africa’s first commercial airline partnerships between SAA and Nigeria Airways on the Lagos–New York route, and negotiated key intra-African services that strengthened regional integration. His leadership was instrumental in establishing multiple new routes and building successful partnerships, including with Africa World Airlines in Ghana.

As Chief Executive Officer of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), Aaron has continued to champion the collective interests of airlines in the region. He represents member carriers on regulatory and policy matters, promotes industry collaboration, and works closely with governments and stakeholders to enhance connectivity, sustainability, and competitiveness. Alongside his operational and strategic achievements, Aaron is a passionate mentor and advocate for youth development, committed to nurturing the next generation of African aviation leaders.

Reflecting on the recognition, Munetsi said, “I am humbled beyond words by this recognition from my peers. It is an honour to receive the Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award. As a strategy-oriented aviation manager, I have prioritized forging robust partnerships and managing stakeholders and principals with maximum care and focus at all times—ensuring their complete satisfaction with our mutual results. Aviation's transformative power to connect people, economies, and opportunities across Africa has driven my work alongside dedicated professionals who share this vision of a progressive, dynamic ,African aviation industry. This recognition reflects the collective strategic efforts of our colleagues and partners in championing sustainable connectivity and continental development.”

Ato Girma Wake, Patron of the award and one of the most influential figures in African aviation, added, “Aaron Munetsi has dedicated his career to strengthening African aviation through collaboration, policy engagement and industry leadership. His commitment to improving connectivity and supporting airlines across the continent makes him a truly deserving recipient of this year’s award.”

Commenting on the announcement, Jon Howell, CEO and Founder of AviaDev, said, “Aaron has been a tireless advocate for African aviation for more than three decades. His ability to bring together airlines, governments and industry stakeholders has helped drive meaningful progress in improving connectivity across the continent. The Advisory Board unanimously agreed that his leadership and dedication make him an extremely worthy recipient of the 2026 Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Since its inception, the award has recognised many of the most influential figures shaping aviation across Africa. Previous recipients include Mesfin Tasew, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines (2025), João Pó Jorge (2024), Rodger Foster of Airlink (2023), Sanjeev Gadhia of Astral Aviation (2022), Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (2021), Raphael Kuuchi, former Special envoy on aero-political affairs at IATA (2019), and Chris Zweigenthal, former CEO of Airlines Association of Southern Africa (2018)

The award will be presented during AviaDev Africa 2026, where Munetsi will join the stage for a special interview reflecting on his career and discussing the future of aviation connectivity across Africa.