Kenya Seeks to Modernise JKIA After Delays

Kenya has invited bids for the modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), reviving a long-delayed expansion plan after previous attempts were derailed by public opposition and cancelled deals.

The project will involve constructing a second runway and a new passenger terminal to ease congestion and improve service at the country’s main gateway.

Transport Minister Davis Chirchir said the government will seek financing from development lenders and the bond market, with Nairobi retaining control of the works rather than granting a long-term concession to a private operator.

The move follows the termination last year of a proposed agreement with India’s Adani Group, which had planned to upgrade and operate the airport under a 30-year lease.

The deal collapsed amid political resistance, legal challenges and protests from aviation workers.

It also comes more than a decade after Kenya abandoned plans for a Greenfield Terminal, a flagship Vision 2030 project intended to boost passenger capacity to nearly 19 million a year.

That scheme was halted in 2016 over funding and contractual disputes, despite significant preparatory works.

Kenya’s renewed push to modernise JKIA comes as regional rivals press ahead with ambitious aviation projects.

Rwanda is advancing construction of Bugesera International Airport outside Kigali, designed to handle growing passenger numbers and position the country as a transit hub.

Ethiopia has begun work on a new mega-airport near Bishoftu, south of Addis Ababa, expected to feature four runways and an annual capacity of up to 100 million passengers.

The project is intended to cement Ethiopian Airlines’ dominance in Africa and relieve pressure on the existing Bole International Airport.

Industry analysts say the prolonged delays at JKIA have eroded Nairobi’s competitive edge, with faster-moving neighbours vying for a larger share of the region’s passenger and cargo traffic.

The government hopes that securing financing and breaking ground swiftly will restore investor confidence and keep Kenya in the race to remain East Africa’s primary aviation hub.

gandae@businessdayafrica.org