Facts about the new Bishoftu Airport set to become Africa’s biggest aviation hub

By Michael Oduor with Agencies

Construction has commenced in the town of Bishoftu on what Ethiopia claims will be Africa’s largest airport and the continent’s most extensive aviation infrastructure project.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed laid a ceremonial plaque on Saturday to mark the beginning of work at the site, situated 45 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa.

Financing

The project was expected to cost $10 billion but was later revised to $12.5 billion due to inflation and other modifications.

Ethiopian Airlines will sponsor 30 percent of the construction, while the remaining 70 percent will be funded by other international institutions.

The Africa Development Bank has already issued a $500 million loan and is leading efforts to raise $8.7 billion.

Lenders from the Middle East, China, Europe and the United States have shown interest in financing the mega project.

Capacity

The new airport is expected to accommodate 270 planes at any given time, with a capacity of 110 million passengers per year.

The state-owned airport will have four runways and will be the largest aviation infrastructure in Africa.

The new airport will handle 60 million passengers annually in the initial phase. Later, the capacity will increase to up to 110 million passengers annually.

The project includes a multi-lane motorway to link the new facility to the capital and a 38-kilometre high-speed railway, which the premier says will reach speeds of up to 200 kph.

Why Bishoftu and not Bole?

Bol International Airport is expected to reach saturation within three years.

Bishoftu has four times the capacity of Ethiopia’s current main airport, Bole, which can handle up to 25 million passengers annually.