8 September 2026

Namibia Says Ethiopian Airlines Talks Remain Exploratory as Namibia Air Planning Continues

Why this article matters
Namibia Air remains at the planning and assessment stage, with discussions involving Ethiopian Airlines covering technical and commercial matters but no binding commitments concluded. At the same time, the proposed carrier is progressing plans for an initial fleet of seven Embraer aircraft.

The government is attempting to establish a new national airline more than five years after Air Namibia ceased operations, with financial sustainability and operational viability central to the process. The structure ultimately chosen for Namibia Air, including any cooperation with an established African airline partner, will shape how Namibia approaches the commercial and operational risks that affected its previous flag carrier.

Of Interest
- Discussions with Ethiopian Airlines remain exploratory, with no binding commitments concluded.
- Namibia Air is being developed under the oversight of an Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee and an Interim Board.
- The government is assessing technical, financial and commercial considerations before approving the airline’s operating model.
- Namibia Air plans to acquire seven Embraer aircraft for an estimated combined US$36 million.
- The proposed initial fleet comprises four Embraer ERJ145s and three E170/E175 aircraft.
- The four ERJ145s are estimated at approximately US$3 million each.
- The three E170/E175 aircraft are estimated at approximately US$8 million each.
- Namibia Air intends to seek scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo operations.
- Air Namibia ceased operations in February 2021 and was subsequently liquidated.
- More than N$8 billion in public funds was estimated to have been spent supporting Air Namibia.

The Namibian government is in discussions with Ethiopian Airlines over a possible strategic partnership or stake in the planned national carrier, Namibia Air (Pty) Ltd, as it seeks to avoid the financial and operational failures that led to the collapse of Air Namibia.

Jonas Sheelongo, executive director in the Ministry of Works and Transport, said the engagements with Ethiopian Airlines form part of a broader process to determine the most viable and sustainable model for establishing and operating Namibia Air.

The government was exploring various forms of technical and strategic cooperation while ensuring that Namibian expertise and national interests remain central to any future arrangement.

The primary purpose of these consultations is to ensure that the mistakes of the past, which ultimately led to the financial collapse and closure of Air Namibia, are avoided at all costs in the establishment and operation of the new national airline, according to the government plans.

The discussions with Ethiopian Airlines have covered a broad range of technical and commercial matters, although no binding commitments have been entered into with any party at this stage.

The government remains committed to ensuring that the process was transparent, accountable and aligned with the national interest.

The government is determined to build a financially sustainable, operationally efficient and commercially viable airline that will serve Namibians for generations to come, according to Sheelongo.

The establishment of Namibia Air is being overseen by an Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee and an Interim Board tasked with guiding the development of the new airline with all decisions expected to be based on comprehensive technical, financial and commercial assessments and would be subject to the appropriate approval processes.

Ethiopian Airlines already has experience in airline partnerships across Africa, including arrangements involving ASKY Airlines of Togo, Zambia Airways and Malawian Airlines.

Meanwhile, Namibia Air is moving ahead with plans to acquire its initial fleet. In July, the government announced that the company planned to acquire seven Embraer aircraft estimated at a combined US$36 million as it seeks approval to launch scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo services.

Applications published in the Government Gazette on 8 July indicated that Namibia Air intends to acquire four Embraer ERJ145 aircraft at an estimated US$3 million each, as well as three Embraer E170/E175 jets at approximately US$8 million each.

The plans for a new national carrier come more than five years after the liquidation of Air Namibia, which ceased operations in February 2021 following years of financial difficulties.

At the time, the government said it had assessed all available options and concluded that Air Namibia was not profitable and had struggled financially since its establishment.

More than N$8 billion in public funds was estimated to have been spent on sustaining the former national airline.