West Africa’s aviation sector is witnessing renewed state-backed momentum as Mauritania moves to stabilise its struggling national airline with a $18 million loan guarantee, while Liberia sets a long-term reform agenda through a sweeping 20-year Civil Aviation Master Plan aimed at modernising safety, infrastructure and technical capacity.
Mauritania’s government has approved a state-backed guarantee for a bank facility of up to 700 million ouguiyas to support Mauritania Airlines, which is currently operating with only two active aircraft while others remain grounded for major maintenance. The intervention is expected to ease operational strain, fund fleet upgrades and restore service reliability across domestic and regional routes.
Officials say the financing will help address long-standing challenges associated with the airline’s limited scale and mixed fleet composition, while aligning with broader financial sector reforms that demand stronger management discipline and improved technical standards. With enhanced operational capacity, the carrier is projected to strengthen regional connectivity, boost tourism flows and facilitate trade links within West Africa.
At the same time, Liberia is charting a structural transformation of its aviation ecosystem. The Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) has launched its Civil Aviation Master Plan (CAMP) 2025–2045, a comprehensive framework designed to reposition the country’s aviation sector in line with international best practices.
Speaking at the launch, LCAA Director General Julius D. Dennis Jr. described the plan as a forward-looking roadmap built on three pillars: improving aviation safety, modernising infrastructure, and developing indigenous technical expertise through training and global partnerships. He noted that the plan is intended not only to upgrade facilities but also to build human capacity for long-term sustainability.
Deputy Director General Stephen Johnson stressed that the success of the 20-year blueprint would depend on coordinated implementation and strict compliance with global standards across all departments of the authority. The dual developments in Mauritania and Liberia underscore a broader regional trend where governments are increasingly recognising aviation as a strategic driver of economic growth, trade, tourism and diplomatic connectivity, requiring both immediate operational support and long-term institutional planning.
