Five years after the Namibian government liquidated the national airline, Air Namibia, plans are now underway to revive a national carrier before the end of the year, signalling a renewed push to re-establish the country’s presence in the aviation sector.
In February 2021, the government said it had assessed all available options and concluded that Air Namibia was not profitable, noting that the airline had struggled financially since its inception. At the time, it was estimated that more than N$8 billion in public funds had been spent on sustaining the airline.
Government argued that the country’s economy could no longer afford to continuously subsidise the airline at the expense of economic growth and critical social services. Based on this position, an application was filed in the High Court for the voluntary liquidation of Air Namibia. The decision was also influenced by concerns that continued financial support would undermine the government’s economic recovery plan. The liquidation itself was expected to cost more than N$2 billion.
Now, Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, says efforts to revive a national airline are underway. The proposed new carrier is expected to operate under the name Namibia Air.
Theofelus says the airline is targeted for launch before the end of 2026, although a specific date has yet to be determined. She explains that a technical team tasked with the project is currently evaluating various operational models and potential partners, including reported interest from Ethiopian Airlines.
Once the assessment process is complete, the technical team will submit its report to the relevant line minister, who will then present it to Cabinet for consideration and approval.
However, the revival plans have drawn scrutiny from the official opposition. IPC Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister of Works and Transport, Nelson Kalangula, says the party is concerned that some officials previously associated with the defunct Air Namibia are involved in planning the new airline.
Kalangula also raised concerns about transparency, noting that while government has indicated it may pursue a public-private partnership arrangement, the feasibility study has not been made public nor presented to Parliament.
Meanwhile, former Air Namibia spokesperson Renier Bougard has welcomed the proposed revival, describing it as a positive development for both former employees and the broader economy. He says the return of a national airline could support the growth of Namibia’s tourism sector and create employment opportunities.
Bougard maintains that closing Air Namibia was a mistake, arguing that workers had previously proposed scaling back operations by cutting unprofitable international routes while continuing with a turnaround strategy.
He further expressed the expectation that the new airline will prioritise the rehiring of former Air Namibia employees, noting that this formed part of the conditions discussed at the time of their retrenchment.
According to Bougard, the aviation industry is highly regulated and requires experienced personnel. He says former Air Namibia employees possess valuable institutional knowledge that could help maintain operational standards and contribute to the success of the new carrier.
