National carrier Air Namibia was liquidated in 2021.
The Namibian government has committed to establishing a new national airline as a public-private partnership but has confirmed it will not revive the defunct Air Namibia.
Veikko Nekundi, minister of work and transport, told local media this week the government's priority is to build a sustainable airline from the ground up.
“We are not reviving Air Namibia. We are reviving a national airline,” he said. “Negotiations should be concluded by December 2025, and the launch and official operations of the new airline are anticipated between June and December 2026.”
In August, during Namibia's Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF), President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said that while her country has made major strides in road transport, other sectors remain underdeveloped.
“Significant achievements have been made in road transport infrastructure, as we are connected by tarred roads to all our neighbors," she said. "However, much more needs to be done in rail and air transport. We will intensify efforts to improve our rail network and to reintroduce a national airline."
Namibia’s previous flag carrier, Air Namibia, was liquidated in February 2021 after years of financial losses, poor management, and repeated state bailouts. The closure reportedly cost the nation approximately N$8 billion ($453 million).
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