Ethiopia Begins Construction of Africa’s Largest Airport in $12.5bn Aviation Project

The Ethiopian government has announced an ambitious plan to construct Africa’s largest airport, a $12.5 billion project scheduled for completion by 2030.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, in a statement shared on X, said the Bishoftu International Airport will be “the largest aviation infrastructure project in Africa’s history.” The airport will have capacity to park 270 aircraft and handle up to 110 million passengers annually.

This is more than four times the capacity of Ethiopia’s current main airport, which is expected to reach its operational limits within the next two to three years.

The project forms part of Ethiopia’s broader national economic reforms, industrialisation agenda, and long-term aviation strategy. Upon completion, the airport is expected to significantly improve African connectivity within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), expand trade and tourism corridors, and position Ethiopia as a leading intercontinental aviation hub. This move is also expected to strengthen the global competitiveness of Ethiopian Airlines.

The state-owned airline has been awarded the contract to design the four-runway airport, which will be located in Bishoftu, approximately 45 kilometres (28 miles) southeast of Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian Airlines’ Infrastructure Development and Planning Director, Abraham Tesfaye, told reporters that the airline will fund 30 per cent of the project, while the remaining financing will come from lenders. He added that financial institutions from the Middle East, Europe, China, and the United States have expressed strong interest in financing the project.

According to Tesfaye, $610 million has already been allocated for earthworks, which are expected to be completed within one year. He added that the main contractors are scheduled to begin work in August 2026.

The project was initially estimated at $10 billion, but costs have since been revised. Other creditors include the African Development Bank, which announced last August that it would provide $500 million in funding and lead efforts to raise an additional $8.7 billion.

Ethiopian Airlines remains Africa’s largest carrier, having added six new routes in the 2024/25 period, with revenues continuing to grow.