TIRI MASAWI and VERIPUAMI KANGUMINE
Namibia is in discussions with Botswana over a proposal to jointly establish and co-own a national airline.
The Ministry of Works and Transport says the initiative remains at a negotiation and consultation stage, with no timelines set for final decisions.
Ministry of Works and Transport Executive Director Jonas Sheelongo told Namibia Business Review on Monday that discussions between the two governments are ongoing and still open-ended.
“We are definitely consulting with our Botswana counterparts and the consultations have been on for some time and might take time but we have not set deadlines on when we can complete these because this is a negotiation and these take time,” he said.
He added that Namibia is also exploring how best to structure and manage a possible airline, including engagement with experienced carriers on the continent.
“When it comes to the issue of speaking to other experienced airlines I would suggest that you give us time to brief the nation when we are ready to talk on that issue,” Sheelongo said.
Sources familiar with the matter indicated that Namibia is also considering lessons from established airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways to guide future management and avoid past mistakes in state-owned airlines.
Sheelongo confirmed that no decision has been made yet on the operational structure of the proposed airline, nor has a name been agreed upon. He said consultations remain wide-ranging, including discussions on airline management models.
To date, the government has allocated N$20 million for feasibility studies, while a technical committee has been established to guide the process.
ERONGO SHOWDOWN TALKS
The discussions were intensified last week by Namibia’s Minister of works and transport Veikko Nekundi and Botswana’s Minister of transport and infrastructure Noah Salake, following a meeting between the two countries’ ministers and technical teams in the Erongo Region.
The meeting was held alongside discussions on progress of the N$16 billion Trans-Kalahari Railway (TKR) project.
At the meeting, Nekundi said Namibia’s intention is to proceed with the airline plan in partnership with Botswana.
“Let me announce here, in this joint meeting, that Namibia intends to establish a national airline jointly with Botswana, backed by a strategic partner, as pronounced by our Heads of State, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of the Republic of Namibia and Duma Gideon Boko, President of the Republic of Botswana, during the Namibia-Botswana Bi-National Commission,” Nekundi said.
He said the airline would strengthen transport relations between the two countries and improve regional connectivity.
The proposed airline is expected to replace Air Namibia, which was liquidated in March 2021 after decades of financial difficulties. The Windhoek High Court finalised the liquidation process, leaving more than 600 employees jobless and the airline with debts of nearly N$5.4 billion against assets of about N$1.04 billion.
Air Namibia had accumulated over N$5 billion in debt, while government support to the airline exceeded N$8 billion over the years. The carrier struggled with sustainability, operating with a large workforce of about 600 to 700 employees and relying heavily on state bailouts while maintaining limited profitable routes.
Nekundi said the new airline would deepen bilateral relations and improve travel convenience.
“Just as we lay steel across the Kalahari Desert, we will also lay flight paths across African skies, together. As Government, we pledge that community consultations will take place throughout the project lifecycle,” he said.
On the broader transport corridor, Nekundi stressed urgency in implementation.
“It is a project that will happen with and for our people. Have we not deliberated long enough? We have studied, we have reviewed, and have we assessed? The time for action is now, and history will not be kind to those who delay when destiny is calling,” he said.
Botswana’s Salake also confirmed readiness to proceed with both the airline and railway initiatives.
“The airline will cement our relationship in the transport sector – connecting Windhoek and Gaborone directly to each other and to key regional and international destinations. Just as we lay rail across the Kalahari Desert, we will also lay flight paths across African skies together,” he said.
PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS AND TECHNICAL PLANNING
Namibia is expected to engage further with experienced international carriers as part of planning.
Officials confirmed that the operational structure and branding of the proposed airline are still under discussion.
A technical committee has been appointed to oversee preparations, while feasibility studies continue under the allocated N$20 million budget.
The Namibian reported last year that 16 Namibian companies had expressed interest in contributing to the airline project.
CHALLENGES IN GLOBAL AVIATION
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) representative César Velarde said the aviation industry remains financially challenging worldwide.
He was speaking at a workshop organised by the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in partnership with the Swiss government on sustainable aviation fuel held in Windhoek last month.
Velarde noted that global airline profit margins remain thin and are expected to stabilise at around 3.9% in 2025 and 2026, based on International Air Transport Association and ICAO-aligned data.
FORMER AIR NAMIBIA STAFF SEEK RETURN
Former Air Namibia employee spokesperson Renier Bougard said ex-staff are hopeful they could be reintegrated into the new airline if it is established.
He said their contracts provided for priority re-employment if the national carrier is reinstated.
“When we met with the minister we informed him that our contract stated that once the airline was back we would get the first call back,” he said.
Bougard also questioned why former employees should not be reinstated if the new airline continues under the same branding structure.
He said the 630 former employees have struggled financially since the airline’s liquidation in 2021.
The former employees are set to appear in the Supreme Court on 3 July in an appeal related to severance payments ordered by the High Court.
“We miss our regular income and the benefits of not having to survive hand outs, from hand to mouth,” he said.
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