Lusanga Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic collapse. The airport was built to serve the massive palm oil plantations of the 'Huileries du Congo Belge' (HCB), a subsidiary of Lever Brothers (later Unilever). As the plantation's productivity and profitability declined following Zairianization in the 1970s, and with the subsequent economic turmoil and the First and Second Congo Wars (1996-2003) devastating national infrastructure, the economic basis for maintaining and operating the airport vanished. Lack of maintenance, fuel availability, and demand led to its eventual abandonment.

The site is completely abandoned and derelict. Satellite imagery shows the former unpaved (laterite/grass) runway is still identifiable as a long, straight clearing in the landscape. However, it is heavily overgrown with grass, shrubs, and small trees. The surface is unusable for any aircraft. The area is crossed by local footpaths, and there are no remaining airport facilities or buildings of note. The land has effectively reverted to nature and is unused for any formal purpose.

Lusanga Airport was historically significant as a vital piece of corporate and colonial infrastructure. Located in what was then called Leverville, it was the logistical lifeline for one of the world's largest palm oil plantations. When active, it handled passenger and cargo traffic, primarily using small to medium-sized propeller aircraft like the Douglas DC-3. The airport connected the extremely remote plantation management, European staff, and high-value supplies with the capital, Léopoldville (now Kinshasa), and other regional centers. It was essential for the functioning of the vast agro-industrial complex established by Lever Brothers and was a symbol of the plantation's economic power and isolation.

There are no known or credible plans to reopen Lusanga Airport. The economic rationale for its existence disappeared with the decline of the plantation economy. While the town has recently gained international attention through the 'Cercle d'Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise' (CATPC) and the construction of a 'White Cube' museum designed by the architectural firm OMA, this cultural project is not sufficient to generate the traffic needed to justify the immense cost of rebuilding and operating an airport. The focus for improving Lusanga's connectivity currently lies with road and river transport, making the prospect of reopening the airport extremely unlikely in the foreseeable future.