African Countries Without a Functional National Airline as of June 2025

Emirates instantly brings the UAE to mind, and Qantas proudly flies as ‘The Spirit of Australia. These national carriers are symbols of national pride, identity, and ambition.

But while many countries have them, some African countries are still without a functional national airline.

A national airline often plays a critical role in connecting people, driving tourism, creating jobs, and boosting trade. Especially for landlocked or tourism-dependent countries, having a flag carrier can mean the difference between economic isolation and opportunity.

However, years of underfunding, political interference, corruption, and poor infrastructure have grounded many national carrier dreams before they could take flight.

Some national airlines have collapsed under the weight of debt. Others have been lost in a tangle of bureaucracy or ended up as cautionary tales of mismanagement.

Take Nigeria, for example. It’s the most populous country in Africa, huge market, and massive potential. And yet, it currently has no national airline. From 1958 to 2003, Nigeria Airways proudly carried the flag. It had everything from Boeing 737s and 747s to Airbus A310s. But after decades of financial trouble, the airline was grounded for good.

Since then, Nigeria has tried, again and again, to launch a new national carrier. By some counts, there’ve been at least 11 attempts. The most recent, Nigeria Air, even got as far as unveiling branding and aircraft. But like those before it, the project has stalled, caught in a web of political wrangling and public scepticism.

In contrast, several African nations are reviving or expanding their flag carriers. Ethiopia’s state-owned Ethiopian Airlines remains a model of success. Countries like Rwanda (RwandAir), Tanzania (Air Tanzania), and Egypt (EgyptAir) continue to invest in their national fleets.