Launches Africa’s biggest airport project worth $12.5 billion

Africa's largest airport project officially launched Saturday in Ethiopia. The state-owned airline will build a four-runway facility with capacity for 110 million passengers. Completion is scheduled for 2030.

Ethiopian Airlines officially started construction on Saturday for what will become Africa’s biggest airport. The $12.5 billion project in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, is scheduled for completion in 2030. Officials describe it as the continent’s largest aviation infrastructure project, Reuters reports.

The state-owned airline secured the contract to design the four-runway airport. The facility is located around 45 km southeast of Addis Ababa in the town of Bishoftu.

Will handle 110 million passengers annually

“Bishoftu International Airport will be the largest aviation infrastructure project in Africa’s history,” says Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali The airport will have space to park 270 planes. Moreover, it will have capacity for 110 million passengers annually.

That capacity is more than four times larger than Ethiopia’s current main airport. The existing airport will reach its limits on current traffic in the next two to three years, Abiy said.

Funding split between airline and lenders

The airline’s Infrastructure Development & Planning Director Abraham Tesfaye told reporters the company would fund 30% of the project. Meanwhile, international lenders would finance the remaining 70%.

Ethiopian Airlines has already allocated $610 million for earthworks. These are due to be completed within one year, Tesfaye said at the construction site. Furthermore, the main contractors are scheduled to start work in August 2026.

The project was initially budgeted at $10 billion. However, the cost has since increased to $12.5 billion.

Other creditors include the African Development Bank, which announced last August it would lend $500 million. The bank will also lead efforts to raise an additional $8.7 billion.

“Lenders from Middle East, Europe, China and USA have shown strong interest to finance the project,” Abraham said.

Ethiopian Airlines is Africa’s biggest carrier. The airline added six extra routes in 2024/25. Additionally, revenues continue to expand.