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Camair-Co Trims Losses to \$7.7 Million as Cameroon Deepens State Support and Fleet Renewal Camair-Co Trims Losses to \$7.7 Million as Cameroon Deepens State Support and Fleet Renewal

Cameroon's flag carrier, Camair-Co, has posted a modestly improved financial performance for the 2025 financial year, narrowing its net loss for the second consecutive year while remaining heavily reliant on public subsidies. According to the airline's 2025 financial statements, the state-owned carrier recorded a net loss of 4.65 billion CFA francs, roughly 7.7 million US dollars, an improvement on the previous year's figures but still a clear signal that structural challenges continue to weigh on the company's operations.

The results confirm that despite steady progress on the commercial front, Camair-Co remains structurally deficit-making. Operating subsidies from the Cameroonian government climbed to 6.85 billion CFA francs in 2025, compared with 4.94 billion CFA francs the previous year, representing an increase of almost 39 percent. This means that public financial support grew at a faster pace than the airline's own turnover, underscoring how central government backing has become to sustaining daily operations. Without this injection of state resources, the operational deficit would have been considerably wider.

The financial report highlights that these subsidies now constitute one of the principal pillars supporting the carrier's activity, particularly at a time when Central African aviation continues to face high operating costs, currency pressures and fierce competition on regional and international routes. For African travel professionals, this pattern reflects a broader continental reality where several national carriers still depend on direct government intervention to remain airborne while restructuring efforts unfold.

Camair-Co's leadership has emphasised that the narrowing of losses reflects tangible progress on cost management, network optimisation and revenue growth. Passenger traffic has gradually improved, benefiting from the airline's role in linking Cameroon's key cities of Douala, Yaoundé, Garoua and Maroua, while regional services continue to connect Central African capitals with West African hubs. Nevertheless, ageing fleet issues, maintenance costs and limited working capital have persistently constrained the carrier's ability to compete on more profitable long-haul routes.

Looking to the future, Camair-Co is pursuing an ambitious recovery and fleet expansion plan running through 2028. This road map includes the acquisition of additional aircraft to modernise the fleet, the introduction of new commercial routes, and improved operational efficiency aimed at reducing dependency on state subsidies over the medium term. The strategy also seeks to reposition the carrier as a more competitive player within the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) market, where regional connectivity remains one of the weakest on the continent.

The timing is particularly significant. Camair-Co's recovery push is unfolding just as Cameroonian billionaire Baba Ahmadou Danpullo has announced plans to launch a privately funded airline backed by an investment package of around 900 million US dollars, together with two new private airports in Yaoundé and Douala. The emergence of a well-financed private competitor is expected to sharpen competitive pressure on Camair-Co, potentially accelerating reforms and pushing the state-owned carrier to deliver higher levels of service quality and operational discipline.

For the African travel industry, developments at Camair-Co carry important implications. Cameroon is a strategic gateway to Central Africa, and its national carrier's health directly influences regional connectivity, tourism flows, business travel and cargo movements. Travel agents, tour operators and destination marketers across sub-Saharan Africa working on Central African itineraries will be closely watching how the recovery plan unfolds, as improved fleet reliability and expanded route networks could open up fresh commercial opportunities across the region.

The Camair-Co story also feeds into a wider continental conversation about how African governments should support their national airlines. While subsidies have kept the carrier operational, industry observers are increasingly calling for structural reforms, stronger corporate governance and greater private sector participation to place state-owned airlines on a genuinely sustainable footing. Some analysts have previously suggested that a possible future listing on the Central African Stock Exchange (BVMAC) could form part of longer-term reform pathways, aligning with broader efforts to modernise large state enterprises.

As Camair-Co works to convert reduced losses into eventual profitability, the coming years will be decisive. Success will depend on disciplined execution of the 2028 recovery plan, prudent fleet renewal decisions, sharper commercial strategy and a willingness to adapt swiftly to a rapidly changing regional aviation landscape. For Africa's travel trade, the message is clear: Central African aviation is entering a phase of significant transformation, and those ready to engage early stand to benefit from an increasingly competitive and dynamic market.