Kenya has signed a $1.2 billion agreement with China Road and Bridge Corporation to expand Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, as Nairobi moves to strengthen its position as one of East Africa’s main aviation hubs.
Transport Minister Davis Chirchir said the deal, worth 154.2 billion Kenyan shillings, will support a major upgrade of the airport, including construction of a new terminal building, improvements to existing infrastructure and upgrades to both airside and landside operations.
The project aims to nearly triple the airport’s annual passenger capacity from 7.5 million to 22 million, a significant expansion for a country competing with Ethiopia and Rwanda, both of which have invested heavily in airport infrastructure to attract airlines, passengers and regional transit traffic.
“The project scope includes the construction of a new terminal building and associated support facilities, the modernization and upgrading of existing infrastructure, the improvement of airside and landside operations,” Chirchir said in a post on X.
The agreement follows Kenya’s decision last year to cancel a 2024 airport expansion deal with India’s Adani Group after the company’s founder was indicted in the United States.
Last week, Chirchir said the government had appointed Africa’s Trade and Development Bank and the Africa Finance Corporation to arrange financing for the airport project.
The expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is expected to be closely watched as Kenya seeks to defend Nairobi’s role as a regional transport gateway at a time of rising competition from other African aviation hubs.