Construction has officially begun on Ethiopia’s long-planned Bishoftu International Airport, a US$12.5 billion project that is set to become the largest aviation hub on the African continent, Ethiopian authorities have confirmed.
According to Ethiopian Airlines Group and government officials cited by Africanews and state media, the new airport, located near Bishoftu, about 40 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, will eventually handle up to 110 million passengers annually, more than four times the capacity of the existing Bole International Airport.
The project will be developed in phases and will feature four runways, extensive cargo handling facilities, and a large maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) complex. Once completed, it is expected to position Ethiopia as a major global transit hub linking Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier by fleet size and destinations, has described the airport as central to its “Vision 2035” strategy. The airline aims to expand its passenger network, cargo operations and aircraft maintenance services as demand for air travel across Africa continues to grow.
Bole International Airport, currently Addis Ababa’s main gateway, is already operating beyond its designed capacity of around 25 million passengers per year, despite recent upgrades. Officials say the Bishoftu project is necessary to prevent congestion from becoming a bottleneck for trade, tourism and investment.
The airport development is being backed by a mix of state funding, international financing and strategic partnerships, although full details of the funding structure have not yet been made public. Ethiopian authorities have previously worked with international firms from Europe and Asia on major infrastructure projects, including railways and industrial parks.
Beyond aviation, the government says the airport will act as a catalyst for wider economic development, supporting logistics, hospitality, manufacturing and job creation. Analysts note that Ethiopia is betting heavily on infrastructure to drive long-term growth, even as it faces debt pressures and broader economic reforms.
If completed on schedule, Bishoftu International Airport would rank among the largest airports globally, placing Ethiopia alongside major aviation hubs such as Dubai, Istanbul and London in terms of planned passenger capacity.
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