Ethiopia has officially launched the construction of the Bishoftu International Airport, a $12.5 billion infrastructure project anticipated to become the largest aviation hub on the African continent. The project, inaugurated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, marks a defining moment in the country’s ambition to expand its aviation capacity and strengthen its position as a key gateway for African and global air travel.
Located in Bishoftu, approximately forty-five kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, the new airport is designed with four runways and the capacity to handle up to 110 million passengers annually. This represents more than four times the capacity of the current Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, which is nearing its operational limits due to increasing passenger traffic.
Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier, has taken the lead in the project’s design and implementation. The state-owned airline will contribute thirty per cent of the total funding, while international lenders will finance the remainder. According to the airline’s Infrastructure Development and Planning Director, Abraham Tesfaye, approximately six hundred and ten million dollars have already been allocated for earthworks, which are scheduled for completion within a year. The main construction phase is expected to commence in August 2026.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) confirmed in August 2025 that it would provide a five hundred million dollar loan and coordinate an additional eight point seven billion dollars in financing from global partners. Interest has also been expressed by lenders from the Middle East, Europe, China, and the United States. The project’s initial estimated cost of ten billion dollars has since been revised upward to reflect expanded design specifications and inflationary adjustments.
Prime Minister Abiy described the development as “the largest aviation infrastructure project in Africa’s history”, noting that the airport will be able to accommodate up to two hundred and seventy aircraft simultaneously. The project aims not only to address Ethiopia’s growing air traffic needs but also to position the country as a central hub for African trade, tourism, and logistics.
Ethiopian Airlines has continued to expand its international reach, adding six new routes during the 2024–2025 financial year and reporting a steady rise in revenue. The Bishoftu airport project is seen as a natural extension of the airline’s growth strategy and as part of Ethiopia’s broader vision to consolidate its place in Africa’s aviation future.
The scale and ambition of the Bishoftu International Airport project have drawn attention across the continent as a reflection of Africa’s growing capacity to plan and implement large-scale infrastructure. It also highlights the increasing confidence of African nations in driving transformative projects that strengthen continental connectivity and economic resilience.
The airport, scheduled for completion in 2030, is expected to become a central hub for both passenger and cargo transport, serving as a bridge between Africa and the rest of the world. While the financial and logistical challenges remain considerable, the project demonstrates Ethiopia’s long-term commitment to infrastructure-led growth and to reshaping Africa’s global narrative from one of dependency to one of agency, innovation, and collective progress.
