Qatar Airways is set to close a 49% stake acquisition of RwandAir as early as next month, RwandAir CEO Yvonne Makolo told The Financial Times. The transaction has been in the making for the past five years and will allow RwandAir to expand its fleet and operations as Boeing projects intra-African passenger traffic to quadruple in the next two decades, Makolo added.

Qatar + Rwanda have been friends for a while: Qatar Airways acquired a 60% stake in a USD 1.3 bn international airport development in Rwanda back in 2019, which is slated for completion in 2027. The carrier also inaugurated its first cargo hub outside of Qatar last year at Kigali International Airport in Rwanda in partnership with RwandAir.

RwandAir has been doubling down on fleet expansions: The African airline is aiming to double its 13-aircraft fleet to 25 planes and expand its network to 39 destinations over the next five years to widen its reach, including to the Middle East, Makolo said last year. The carrier has been eyeing increasing flights to existing routes such as Doha and Dubai as well as other destinations.

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