The ill-fated journey of Air CEMAC

On August 3, 2018 in Douala, the CEMAC transport ministers announced the liquidation of Air CEMAC, an airline owned by central African states, which was never able to take off.

Beyond the selfishness of leaders, there is also the question of the maturation of projects upstream. The barriers such as taxes and charges that plague the aviation industry had been brushed aside as leaders rushed into the idea of Air CEMAC.

Indeed N’Djaména, Brazzaville and Douala are among the most expensive airports on the continent, in terms of operation. This posed a real challenge to profitability and competitiveness.

But if governments have failed, the private sector in Central Africa may well take over.

The market is there, and it’s growing. In this week’s business segment, Jean-David Mihamle examines the issues that grounded Air CEMAC even before its maiden flight.