Kenya has signed a 154.2 billion shilling (US1.2 billion) agreement with China Road and Bridge Corporation to expand its main international airport in Nairobi, the government said Tuesday, as the East African nation seeks to strengthen its position as a regional aviation hub.
Transport Minister Davis Chirchir said the project would nearly triple annual passenger capacity at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to 22 million passengers from the current 7.5 million.
“The project scope includes the construction of a new terminal building and associated support facilities, the modernization and upgrading of existing infrastructure, the improvement of airside and landside operations,” Chirchir said in a post on X.
The agreement was signed with China Road and Bridge Corporation after Kenya shelved an earlier airport expansion deal awarded to India’s Adani Group.
The previous agreement, signed in 2024, was cancelled last year following the indictment of the group’s founder in the United States.
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Kenya is seeking to maintain its status as one of Africa’s leading aviation gateways amid increasing competition from regional rivals.
Countries including Ethiopia and Rwanda have invested heavily in airport infrastructure in recent years to attract airlines, passengers and cargo traffic.
Last week, Chirchir said the government had appointed the Trade and Development Bank and the Africa Finance Corporation to arrange financing for the project.
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The airport expansion is expected to boost passenger traffic, support tourism and trade, and enhance Kenya’s connectivity with the rest of Africa and international markets.
