Ethiopian Airlines Launches $12.5bn Project to Build Africa’s Largest Airport in Bishoftu

Ethiopian Airlines has launched a $12.5 billion project to build Africa’s largest airport in Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, by 2030. The four-runway airport will handle up to 110 million passengers annually, easing pressure on the current main airport, while funding will come from the airline and international lenders.

Ethiopian Airlines on Saturday officially launched a massive $12.5 billion construction project that officials say will become the largest airport in Africa once it is completed in 2030. The new airport, to be known as Bishoftu International Airport, is being built in the Ethiopian town of Bishoftu, located about 45 kilometres (28 miles) southeast of the capital, Addis Ababa.
The state-owned airline has been awarded the contract to design and develop the airport, which will feature four runways and is expected to significantly transform Ethiopia’s aviation sector. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali announced the launch of the project on X, describing it as the largest aviation infrastructure project in Africa’s history.
According to project details, the airport will have the capacity to park up to 270 aircraft at any given time and will be able to handle as many as 110 million passengers each year. This capacity is more than four times that of Ethiopia’s current main airport, Bole International Airport, which Abiy said is projected to reach its maximum capacity based on existing traffic levels within the next two to three years.
Speaking to reporters at the project site, Ethiopian Airlines’ Infrastructure Development and Planning Director, Abraham Tesfaye, said the airline would finance 30 percent of the total cost, while the remaining 70 percent would be funded through loans from various lenders. He disclosed that Ethiopian Airlines has already allocated $610 million for earthworks, which are expected to be completed within one year.
Abraham added that once the earthworks are completed, the main contractors are scheduled to begin construction in August 2026. He noted that the project was initially estimated at $10 billion but was later revised to $12.5 billion due to expanded scope and rising costs.
Among the major financiers involved in the project is the African Development Bank, which announced last August that it would provide a $500 million loan and lead efforts to mobilise an additional $8.7 billion in funding. Abraham also revealed that lenders from the Middle East, Europe, China and the United States have shown strong interest in financing the airport.
Ethiopian Airlines, which is Africa’s largest carrier, continues to expand its operations across the continent and beyond. During the 2024/25 period, the airline added six new routes and recorded growing revenues, underscoring its ambition to strengthen Ethiopia’s position as a major aviation hub in Africa and globally.