Nacala Airport Downgraded: Infrastructure Deterioration and a $125 Million Misstep
Mozambique’s Civil Aviation Institute (IACM) has downgraded Nacala International Airport in Nampula Province from Level 6 to Level 5, citing unresolved technical and operational discrepancies. According to IACM Chairman João de Abreu, deficiencies such as inadequate runway lighting, flawed approach radio aids, and insufficient auxiliary services have undermined the airport’s safety and operational standards.
Inaugurated in December 2014, Nacala Airport was designed to serve 500,000 passengers and handle up to 5,000 tonnes of cargo annually. However, low passenger traffic and minimal profitability soon earned it the label of a “white elephant.” The Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht built the facility with a $125 million loan from Brazil’s National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), backed by Mozambique’s sovereign guarantee. Insufficient revenue generation left the state-owned company, Aeroportos de Moçambique, unable to meet loan repayments, forcing the government to honor its guarantee.
In 2019, the government repaid $52 million to Brazil, leaving around $73 million outstanding. Further complicating matters, the project came under scrutiny during Brazil’s “Operation Car Wash” investigation, following allegations that Odebrecht paid bribes to Mozambican officials between 2011 and 2014. A former Odebrecht executive alleged in court that 0.1% of the contract value was paid to an employee at Brazil’s Chamber of Foreign Trade, accelerating project approval and clearing the path for BNDES financing.
A 2024 TORRE.News investigation found the airport often receiving just one weekly flight, closing on weekends and even allowing children to play on the runway. Inside the terminal, only six stores were operational while more than 25 remained shut, reflecting the lack of passengers. With the recent downgrade, airlines operating larger aircraft are now barred from flying to Nacala, further damaging the airport’s commercial viability and highlighting the waste of a $125 million investment.
The IACM states that Nacala Airport can only regain its previous category once the identified shortcomings have been addressed—a process requiring additional funding, despite mounting debt and ongoing corruption allegations. As a result, Nacala International Airport remains a stark reminder of ambitious promises overshadowed by underuse and infrastructural decay.
