$12.7 billion Bishoftu aviation hub to handle 110 million passengers a year to replace Addis Ababa’s Bole Airport
Ethiopia has begun construction on what is expected to be Africa’s largest airport, marking a major milestone in the country’s aviation and infrastructure expansion efforts.
The project, which was launched on Saturday in Bishoftu, a town southeast of Addis Ababa, is expected to cost about $12.7 billion and, once completed, will have the capacity to handle up to 110 million passengers a year. The construction period is expected to be five years.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the start of construction on the facility, calling it the largest aviation infrastructure project in African history.
“This multi-airport strategy is designed to future-proof Ethiopia’s position as Africa’s major air transport gateway,” Abiy said in a post on X.
According to the Prime Minister, the new airport will strengthen Ethiopian Airlines’ international competitiveness, increase intercontinental connectivity, expand trade and tourism routes, and establish Ethiopia as a major intercontinental aviation hub.
Partly funded by Ethiopian Airlines, Bishoftu Airport is expected to eventually replace Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport, which currently handles around 25 million passengers per year.
Planned road and rail connections
The project includes extensive transportation infrastructure linking the airport to the capital, including a multi-lane highway and 38 kilometers of high-speed rail. Abbey said the railway will operate at speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour.
Financial support is already beginning to take shape, with the African Development Bank committing $500 million to the project. Ethiopian authorities are also in talks with other international financial institutions, including the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank and the United States Development Finance Corporation, to secure additional funding.
Development amidst security challenges
Ethiopia is moving forward with the project as part of its efforts to attract foreign investment and tourism, despite continuing security challenges in parts of the country such as Amhara and Oromia regions. Bishoftu is located in Oromia region.
The future airport will be built on an area of 35 square kilometers. The project displaced about 2,500 farmers and resettled them in 2025 at a cost of about $350 million in compensation, said Mesfin Taseu Bekele, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country with an estimated 130 million people, has undertaken several major infrastructure improvements in recent years. These include the start of Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam and large-scale urban renewal projects across Addis Ababa and other cities.
The Bishoftu Airport project is expected to further strengthen Ethiopia’s ambitions to establish itself as a transport hub for the continent and the world.
