Nyanza-Lac Airport

The closure was a result of gradual abandonment rather than a single event. The primary factors include:
1. **Economic Non-Viability:** There was no scheduled commercial traffic to sustain operations.
2. **Lack of Maintenance:** Following years of conflict and with limited government resources, the dirt/grass runway was not maintained and fell into disrepair.
3. **Improved Infrastructure:** The improvement of the RN3 road connecting Nyanza-Lac to Bujumbura and other regions reduced the necessity for air travel for passengers and light cargo.
4. **Reduced Humanitarian Need:** The airstrip was valuable for NGOs and UN agencies during the civil war. As the security situation stabilized, the demand for such air access diminished.

As of the early 2020s, the site is defunct as an airport. Satellite imagery clearly shows the outline of the former runway, but it is no longer maintained. The land is overgrown with grass and shrubs, and parts of the strip are used for local agriculture (small farming plots) and as an informal footpath or track for local residents. While the basic shape of the airstrip remains, it is not suitable for any aviation activity without significant rehabilitation.

Nyanza-Lac Airport was a local, unpaved airstrip with a single dirt/grass runway approximately 1000 meters long. Its primary significance was providing air access to a relatively remote but important town on the shore of Lake Tanganyika. When active, it handled operations for:
- **Government and Administrative Flights:** Connecting local authorities with the capital.
- **Humanitarian Aid:** It was a crucial logistical asset for United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to deliver supplies and personnel, especially when road travel was insecure or difficult.
- **Missionary and Private Aviation:** Used by light aircraft (e.g., Cessna Caravan, Pilatus Porter) operated by missionary groups or private entities.
A 2004 United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC) report on airfields in Burundi listed it as "usable but requires inspection prior to use," confirming its operational status during that period.

There are no known official plans, government proposals, or private sector initiatives to rehabilitate or reopen Nyanza-Lac Airport. The national focus for aviation development in Burundi is centered on the primary international airport, Melchior Ndadaye International Airport (HBBA) in Bujumbura. Given the cost of rehabilitation and the existence of a reliable road network to the region, the prospects for reopening are considered negligible.