The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) is participating in the 2025 AviaDev Africa Summit, taking place from today, 11 June to Friday, 13 June at the Golden Tulip Zanzibar Airport Hotel in Tanzania. AviaDev Africa 2025 provides an invaluable platform for Namibia to strengthen its aviation ties and support the national vision of a connected, accessible and thriving transport network.
This year’s prestigious event is expected to bring together over 400 high-level stakeholders from across the aviation and tourism industries to shape the future of air connectivity on the continent.
As the official host of AviaDev Africa in 2024, NAC continues its strategic involvement as a key industry player by attending this year’s summit. With a clear mandate to position Namibia as a regional aviation hub, NAC is leveraging platforms like AviaDev to promote greater connectivity, attract new airline partnerships and support the growth of tourism and trade across Southern Africa.
“Participating in AviaDev Africa allows us to showcase Namibia’s potential as a gateway to the continent,” said Bisey /Uirab, CEO of the Namibia Airports Company.
“Our vision is to transform Namibia into a logistics and aviation hub for Southern Africa. Engaging with global stakeholders helps us strengthen existing routes, attract new airlines and identify investment opportunities to enhance our airport infrastructure and contribute meaningfully to national economic growth,” he added.
Last year, NAC handled 1.1 million passengers, while Hosea Kutako International Airport has the capacity for two million passengers. Therefore, it is imperative to maximise capacity utilisation across NAC airports, starting with Hosea Kutako International Airport, to drive revenue, economic and employment growth for NAC and Namibia. «These opportunities speak to our strategic objective, by highlighting the need to increase connectivity to Namibia, open new routes and retain existing routes, we will be able to position Namibia as a regional aviation hub, that supports leisure and business travel and ultimately create new employment opportunities,” said /Uirab.
This year’s edition features a dedicated masterclass on air route development, designed to equip stakeholders with the tools to establish sustainable and reliable air links across underserved regions. Additionally, a regional workshop organised in collaboration with the SADC Business Council Tourism Alliance is set to address the strategic expansion of air connectivity across Africa.
The 2025 AviaDev Africa Summit will be the third consecutive time that NAC participates in this prestigious event, having hosted the AviaDev Africa 2024 in Windhoek, which brought together 36 airlines, 408 representatives from 46 countries, and more than 1200 meetings.
The International Air Transport Association last week stated that African airlines continue to face an uphill battle as they are still confronted with high operational costs and a low propensity for air travel expenditure.
These challenges are compounded by a persistent aircraft and spare parts shortage that has for decades dampened aviation growth on the continent.
According to the IATA, the collective net profit margin of African airlines is expected to be the weakest in the world at 1.3% while carriers in the Middle East are forecast to be the strongest at 8.7%. Overall, global airline profitability, however, varies widely by carrier and by region.
Despite unrelenting challenges, including a shortage of foreign currency in some economies, particularly US dollars, there is still sustained demand for African air travel.