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$12.5 billion project for Africa's largest airport begins

2026-04-25 15:54:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Flying between African cities forces many travelers to transit outside the continent, via London, Paris or Dubai. But a $12.5 billion airport being built in Ethiopia could change that.

About 50 km southeast of the capital Addis Ababa, work began in January on what Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali described as "the largest aviation infrastructure project in the history of Africa."

Bishoftu International Airport is expected to open in 2030 with two runways and capacity for 60 million passengers per year, with plans to expand to 110 million passengers, more than the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, which had 106 million passengers in 2025.

The project is being led by Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline by fleet, passengers and revenue. CEO Mesfin Tasew said the company “will invest 30% of its capital” to directly cover the $12.5 billion cost. The remaining $8 billion has yet to be secured, with the US, China and most recently Italy involved in negotiations.

African Airspace Connection

Addis Ababa is already one of the major aviation hubs in Africa, but Bole Airport is quickly reaching maximum capacity and has no room for expansion.

With a new airport that will primarily serve transit passengers, Ethiopian Airlines could lead the race to connect African airspace, one of the world's fastest-growing markets.

The airport can also tap into Africa's untapped freight capacity, supporting the African Continental Free Trade Agreement with infrastructure to handle 3.73 million tonnes of cargo per year.

On funding, Landry Signé, a director at the Thunderbird School of Global Management and a fellow at the Brookings Institution, said: “The signals are positive so far, but securing $8 billion in one year is an ambitious deadline.” If fundraising drags on, the 2030 target becomes very difficult to achieve.

Zaha Hadid Architects is leading the design of the terminal.

Inspired by the Great Rift Valley, the terminal has a central structure that stretches lengthwise, with four branches reflecting the diverse landscapes and cultures of Ethiopia.

The semi-open spaces and courtyards are designed to take advantage of Bishoftu's mild climate. "You're almost outside, which is quite unique for an airport," he added.

Designers say sustainability is a priority, from local materials to solar power and rainwater systems. However, the aviation industry accounts for 2–3% of global CO? emissions.

The construction has caused controversy, as it is said to have displaced over 15,000 people from more than 3,600 hectares of agricultural land.

Ethiopian Airlines says it is spending $350 million on the resettlement, building 1,400 homes with power, water, schools and health services.

However, some residents have stated that they have not received compensation. Authorities have denied these claims.

Signé points out that displacements are often treated as logistical issues rather than governance problems. He warns that any unresolved grievances could delay the project and affect investment.

Bishoftu is part of a wave of airport investments on the continent, including projects in Rwanda, Burkina Faso and modernizations in Casablanca, Cairo and Nairobi.

CEO Tasew said the goal is for the airport to become for Africa what Dubai or Doha is for the Middle East.

However, he acknowledges that this requires cooperation with other airlines to ensure uninterrupted connections.

At the Aviation Africa 2025 Summit, ministers approved a plan to accelerate the Single African Air Market. Since 2018, 38 countries have joined and over 110 new routes have been created, with the potential to increase traffic by 141% and reduce prices by up to 35%.

Smaller lines worry that larger companies will profit more.