Turkish Airlines Preparing Investment to Turn Somali Airlines into Africa’s Top Carrier, Sources Say

A quiet aviation revolution may be underway in the Horn of Africa. While the world eyes bigger carriers and larger markets, a monumental transformation is taking root in Somalia, one that could redefine African aviation geography—and at its core lies an increasingly deepening relationship with Turkish Airlines. According to diplomatic sources, investor circles, and multiple industry insiders, Turkey’s flag carrier is not only supporting Somali Airlines in its relaunch, but is laying the groundwork for what some describe as “the most strategic aviation partnership in Africa this decade.”

The July 29 report from Aviation Source News, confirming Somali Airlines’ acquisition of two Airbus A320s, officially marked the revival of a national carrier long absent from the skies. But while the headlines focused on aircraft delivery, the story behind the scenes is far more ambitious. According to individuals familiar with ongoing negotiations, Turkish Airlines is involved in a multi-phase, multidimensional plan to support Somali Airlines—technically, operationally, financially, and politically.

Unconfirmed sources close to both carriers suggest that Turkish Airlines is exploring a minority equity stake in Somali Airlines—potentially 20–25%, most likely via its subsidiaries Turkish Technic or Turkish DOCO. But the partnership reportedly goes far beyond investment. An initial ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) leasing model is already under development, whereby Turkish aircraft, pilots, and engineers will fly Somali Airlines-branded routes until local capacity is matured. The collaboration is structured as a “capacity transfer program”, with Turkish Airlines training Somali crews in Istanbul and Ankara, and eventually at a proposed aviation academy near Mogadishu, supported by Turkish aviation instructors and simulation infrastructure.

“The vision is not to build just another airline,” says one Turkish aviation consultant close to the talks. “It’s to build an institution—something durable, something integrated, something that can truly compete in the region.”

This integration has an infrastructure counterpart. On June 29, Passenger Terminal Today confirmed Somalia has broken ground on the New Mogadishu International Airport (NMIA)—a $1 billion mega-project that will feature dual 4,000-meter runways, a smart terminal system, and advanced radar and ATC infrastructure. Built in the Haawaay (El Maan) area northeast of the capital, this facility is set to become the operational base not just for Somali Airlines, but potentially for Turkish Airlines’ East African strategy as well.

Multiple Turkish firms have already expressed interest.

For Turkish Airlines, this move is not just about expanding its African footprint—it’s about shaping the future of regional air connectivity. Somalia’s geostrategic location at the intersection of the Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean trade lanes, and Sub-Saharan Africa places it at the center of emerging air corridors. Following the 2023 ICAO ruling that returned full airspace control to Somalia, over 15,000 international flights now pass annually through Somali FIR. As Somali Airlines relaunches and NMIA comes online, these overflights may soon become stopovers—with Turkish Airlines as the intercontinental enabler.

The diplomatic choreography behind this alliance is just as telling. Somalia’s Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Mohamed Farah Nuuh, was in Istanbul from June 27–29 for the Global Transport Connectivity Forum 2025, hosted by Türkiye’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and supported by the World Bank.

This strategic alignment echoes deeper historical and geopolitical ties. Since 2011, Turkey has played a unique role in Somalia’s recovery—opening embassies, building hospitals, supporting education, and securing Mogadishu’s airport. Turkish Airlines became the first major international airline to fly into Somalia in 2012 after decades of civil unrest, making Istanbul–Mogadishu not just a route, but a symbol of restored international legitimacy. Today, THY operates some of the most reliable scheduled flights to Somalia, offering diaspora Somalis a lifeline to the homeland—and giving Mogadishu vital access to global capital and mobility.

But it isn’t just states and carriers that are moving. Turkish private sector actors are increasingly scouting the Somali market. According to trade attachés based in Mogadishu, at least four Turkish investment delegations have visited the El Maan corridor near the new airport this year, exploring possibilities in logistics zones, aviation catering, bonded warehousing, and luxury hotel projects aimed at transit and diplomatic travelers. One investor reportedly referred to the NMIA complex as “the next Doha, built in Mogadishu—faster, cheaper, and with fewer constraints.”

Meanwhile, aviation analysts say the long-term potential is enormous. Somali Airlines, once a modest state-owned flag carrier in the 1970s–80s with routes to Rome, Frankfurt, and Nairobi, could be repositioned as the gateway carrier between East Africa and the Turkish–Eurasian air corridor. There is even speculation that, under Turkish mentorship, Somali Airlines could apply for affiliate status in Star Alliance, using THY’s platform as a launchpad for regional connectivity.

Neither Somali nor Turkish authorities have publicly confirmed the full extent of the partnership—but the signs are there. Aircraft orders. Infrastructure. Training. Diplomatic exchanges. Investor activity. For now, it’s a constellation of dots. But soon, those dots may align into a single flight path—one that connects not just two countries, but two futures.

As one regional aviation executive put it:
“This is not just about aviation. It’s about rewriting the African air map—with Somali Airlines in the middle, and Turkish Airlines drawing the lines.”

If the whispers prove true, Somali Airlines won’t just take off. It will ascend—with Turkish wings, Somali ambition, and a mission that could transform the skies over an entire continent.