TAAG Angola Airlines is planning to expand its African cargo network to five additional cities as it seeks to strengthen Luanda’s role as a regional logistics hub.
The airline currently operates regular cargo services to Lagos, Brazzaville, Johannesburg and Nairobi, while Libreville, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka and Accra are among the destinations identified for future expansion.
The Airlines said it is stepping up its air cargo strategy with plans to extend services to five additional African cities as the Angolan flag carrier seeks to increase its footprint in the continent’s growing logistics market.
The airline currently operates regular cargo services to Lagos in Nigeria, Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo, Johannesburg in South Africa and Nairobi in Kenya.
According to CEO Nelson Rodrigues de Oliveira, in an interview with African Skies by AFRAA, he said TAAG plans to expand cargo operations to Libreville, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka and Accra.
The expansion is expected to strengthen the airline’s role in facilitating regional trade while supporting its broader strategy of developing Luanda as a cargo and passenger hub.
“Air cargo is an area of great focus and growth, and it counts on the New Airport (NBJ) as a fundamental piece, given its scalable cargo handling capacity,” Rodrigues said.
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TAAG has incorporated a Boeing 737-800BCF converted freighter into its fleet to support its cargo operations.
The aircraft can carry up to 24 tonnes of cargo and has 11 pallet positions, including capacity for 10 contoured 96-inch by 125-inch pallets.
The airline is also expanding its international cargo reach through partnerships.
TAAG and Avianca have established a Special Prorate Agreement (SPA), allowing TAAG to expand its presence in South American markets beyond São Paulo.
Under the arrangement, customers can access destinations including Bogotá, Santiago, Lima, Montevideo and Quito.
Rodrigues said cargo was strategic to TAAG’s efforts to develop the Angola hub and position the new Luanda airport as infrastructure supporting African import and export flows.
He also linked the cargo strategy to the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by facilitating greater commercial integration among African countries.
The New Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport has an annual cargo handling capacity of up to 130,000 tonnes, alongside passenger capacity of 15 million annually. TAAG sees the facility as a key component of its ambition to establish Luanda as a major connectivity hub between Africa and global markets. The airline’s broader African network currently connects Angola with countries including Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo, alongside international markets in Portugal, Brazil and Cuba.
