Khaberni - Ethiopian Airlines officially launched a $12.5 billion project this Saturday to construct what will be the largest airport in Africa upon its completion in 2030 in Bishoftu, Ethiopia.
The state-owned airline obtained a contract to design the airport, which will include four runways in the town located approximately 45 kilometers southeast of Addis Ababa.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stated on platform X: "Bishoftu International Airport will be the largest aviation infrastructure project in Africa's history."
The airport will include space for 270 aircraft and a capacity to handle 110 million passengers annually.
The Prime Minister added that this capacity exceeds four times the capacity of the current main airport in Ethiopia, which will reach its maximum limits in handling the current air traffic within two or three years.
Abraham Tsefaye, the Director of Infrastructure Development and Planning at Ethiopian Airlines, told journalists that the company would finance 30% of the project, while lenders will fund the remainder.
On the site, he mentioned that the company had already allocated $610 million for engineering excavation work, which is scheduled to complete within a year, with main contractors beginning work in August 2026.
The initial estimated cost of the project was $10 billion.
Among the lenders for the project is the African Development Bank, which stated last August that it would contribute $500 million and lead efforts to raise $8.7 billion.
Abraham said: "Lenders from the Middle East, Europe, China, and the United States have shown keen interest in financing the project."
