Ethiopian Airlines has kicked off construction of a new $12.5 billion airport in Bishoftu, about 45 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, in what officials describe as Africa’s largest aviation infrastructure project to date.
The state-owned carrier is leading the design of the four-runway Bishoftu International Airport, which Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said will be able to park up to 270 aircraft and handle 110 million passengers a year when it opens in 2030.
That is more than four times the capacity of the country’s current main airport, which is expected to reach saturation within the next three years, according to a Reuters report.
Sidara, a Dubai-based engineering and consulting business, has been contracted to design the airport, according to the company’s head of operations, Tariq Al Qanni.
Project funding
Ethiopian Airlines plans to fund 30% of the project, with the remainder coming from lenders. The company has already set aside $610 million for initial earthworks, scheduled for completion within a year, while major contractors are expected to begin construction in August 2026.
Originally estimated at $10 billion, the project has since been revised to $12.5 billion.
The African Development Bank has committed $500 million and is coordinating efforts to raise an additional $8.7 billion, with financiers from the Middle East, Europe, China and the United States expressing interest.
Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier, continues to expand its network, adding six new routes in the 2024/25 financial year as revenues grow.
(Business Insider)
