Ethiopia Breaks Ground on $12.5bn Bishoftu International Airport
Ethiopian Airlines has officially launched construction of Ethiopia’s new USD12.5 billion Bishoftu International Airport, marking the start of one of Africa’s most ambitious aviation infrastructure projects. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on January 10 and was attended by Abiy Ahmed, senior government officials, and airline executives.
The new hub will be located near Bishoftu, approximately 45 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, and is designed to relieve growing capacity constraints at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, which has struggled to keep pace with Ethiopian Airlines’ rapid expansion. The project will feature a four-runway layout and a large-scale terminal complex designed to handle both passenger and cargo growth over the coming decades.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said the project represents a strategic investment not only for Ethiopia but for the wider African aviation market. He described Bishoftu International as a response to what he called a long-standing infrastructure gap across the continent, positioning the airport as a future gateway linking Africa more effectively to global trade and travel flows.
According to Ethiopian Airlines, all community resettlement and land acquisition processes for the airport site have been completed, clearing a major hurdle ahead of construction. The airline also unveiled initial design concepts for the airport, which will be developed in multiple phases to match traffic growth.
Phase one of Bishoftu International Airport is scheduled for completion by 2030 and will have the capacity to handle up to 60 million passengers annually. Once fully built, the airport is expected to accommodate as many as 110 million passengers per year, placing it among the largest aviation hubs globally and the largest on the African continent.
Beyond passenger traffic, the airport is expected to play a central role in cargo and logistics, reinforcing Ethiopian Airlines’ position as Africa’s leading air freight operator. The project is also intended to support the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by improving connectivity, reducing transport bottlenecks, and enabling more efficient movement of goods across African markets.
The Bishoftu development aligns with Ethiopian Airlines’ long-term growth strategy, which includes fleet expansion, network growth across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and increased investment in aviation training and maintenance services. As air travel demand across Africa continues to rise, the new airport is expected to become a cornerstone of Ethiopia’s economic and aviation ambitions, reinforcing the country’s role as a continental air transport hub.
Related News: https://airguide.info/category/air-travel-business/airline-finance/
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com