Nkongsamba Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic factors. Key reasons include:
1. **Competition from Road Transport:** The improvement of the road network, particularly the key road connecting Nkongsamba to the economic capital, Douala, made ground transportation more cost-effective and convenient for both passengers and cargo.
2. **Decline of National Carrier:** The airport's viability was heavily dependent on domestic routes operated by the national carrier, Cameroon Airlines. The airline faced significant financial difficulties starting in the 1980s, leading to the suspension of services to many less profitable regional destinations like Nkongsamba.
3. **Economic Shift:** A general decline in the economic activities that once made Nkongsamba a primary hub, combined with the high operational and maintenance costs of an airport with very low traffic, rendered it commercially unsustainable.

The airport is completely abandoned and non-operational. The physical infrastructure is in a state of severe decay. The runway, while still clearly visible on satellite imagery, is unmaintained, partially overgrown, and has been breached by local roads. The site is unfenced and is used by the local community as a public space for various informal activities, including a shortcut for pedestrians and vehicles, driving practice, and small-scale farming. There are no functional terminal buildings or aviation facilities remaining.

Constructed during the French colonial period, Nkongsamba Airport was an important logistical asset. Nkongsamba was a vital administrative and commercial center, serving as the terminus for the northern railway line from Douala and the heart of a rich agricultural region known for coffee and cocoa. The airport played a crucial role in:
- **Administrative Connectivity:** Facilitating rapid travel for colonial and later, national government officials.
- **Commercial Operations:** Supporting the region's agricultural businesses. It was served by early carriers like Air Cameroun and subsequently Cameroon Airlines, which operated flights using small propeller aircraft (such as the DC-3 and later the Hawker Siddeley HS 748), connecting Nkongsamba to Douala and Yaoundé.

There are currently no concrete, funded plans for the reopening of Nkongsamba Airport. However, the possibility of its rehabilitation is a recurring topic of discussion among local politicians and business leaders in the Moungo department. They advocate for its reopening to stimulate the local economy by boosting tourism and facilitating the rapid export of perishable agricultural products. While government delegations have occasionally assessed the site, these initiatives have not yet translated into an active, financed project. Its revival remains a long-term aspiration for the region, contingent on significant future government investment in infrastructure.