An East African nation is constructing a state-of-the-art four-runway airport, which, upon completion, will be the largest aviation hub in Africa.
Designed to handle an estimated 110 million passengers annually, the ambitious £6 billion project aims to revolutionize air travel on the continent, boosting connectivity, trade, and tourism.
According to express.co.uk, the airport, dubbed a “Mega Airport City” is being built near the town of Bishoftu, Ethiopia, 25 miles from the capital, Addis Ababa.
It’s planned to be constructed in two phases, with the second completed in 2029, as per Times Aerospace.
Ethiopian Airlines’ chief executive Mesfin Tasew told a news conference last year that the first phase of the project alone would cost “at least $6 billion [around £4.7billion]”, explaining that the money would be raised through loans, Reuters reported in August.
READ: Africa: Starting July 2025, Ethiopian Airlines to launch new Porto route
Ethiopian Airlines Group reportedly awarded a consultancy contract to a consortium led by Dar Al-Handasah Consultants (Shair and Partners), with Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), Pascall+Watson Architects, Landrum&Brown, and TY Lin, to deliver the project, as per Business Wire.
Tasew says the site would become the continent’s biggest airport.
It’s hoped that the epic travel hub, which will boast four runways and have aprons for 270 aircraft, will boost the nation’s economic growth.
Executives at Ethiopian Airlines believe the existing Addis Ababa Bole airport’s passenger traffic will soon exceed its designed capacity, despite it being expanded, Times Aerospace reports.
It’s therefore hoped the new site will allow the country to cater to its booming traveller numbers.
According to the outlet, the first phase will see the construction of two of the runways and the first of two terminals, providing the capacity for 60 million passengers per year.
Two additional runways and the second terminal will come in the second phase, with the project also seeing hotels, shopping malls, and commercial complex buildings developed, as per the website.
Tasew previously said it “will not only enhance connectivity but also drive economic growth and prioritize environmentally responsible practices in our country and beyond”.
