Angolan President João Lourenço has inspected construction progress at the future M’banza Kongo International Airport during a two-day working visit to Zaire Province.
The airport, located approximately 30 kilometres from the centre of the historic city of M’banza Kongo, is being developed as a strategic air mobility and regional development project for northern Angola.
According to the project presentation delivered during the visit, the new airport is scheduled for completion in 2027. The facility will be named in honour of Nimi a Lukeni, the first sovereign of the Kingdom of Kongo.
President Lourenço visited the construction site, accompanied by members of the Executive and the provincial governor. During the inspection, technical teams briefed the delegation on the project schedule and progress.
Speaking during the visit, President Lourenço said the airport would support domestic air transport, cultural tourism, freight movement and the wider integration of M’banza Kongo into national and regional routes.
“This airport is not just a runway and a terminal. It is a bridge for cultural tourism, for the movement of goods and for the effective integration of M’banza Kongo, a World Heritage Site, into national and regional routes,” he said.
From a technical perspective, the new airport is expected to accommodate medium- and large-sized aircraft, improving connectivity with Luanda and other Angolan provinces. The project is also expected to create conditions for attracting international tourism flights.
Angola’s Ministry of Transport has positioned the project within the Government’s broader strategy to modernise the national airport network and promote air transport as a driver of economic growth and territorial cohesion.
The Presidential visit forms part of the Government’s monitoring of infrastructure delivery under the National Development Plan. For Zaire Province, the airport is expected to support improved connectivity, reduce regional disparities and strengthen local economic potential.
