Ethiopia began building a $12.5 billion international airport that officials say will be completed in 2030, as the country moves to address capacity constraints at its main aviation hub.
The airport is being built in Bishoftu, about 45 km (28 miles) southeast of Addis Ababa, and is designed to handle 110 million passengers a year, according to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
“Bishoftu International Airport will be the largest aviation infrastructure project in Africa’s history,” Abiy said in a post on X.
The four‑runway airport will provide parking for 270 aircraft, more than four times the capacity of Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, which Abiy said would reach its operational limits within two to three years at current traffic levels.
The state‑owned Ethiopian Airlines has been awarded the contract to design and oversee development of the project. The facility is intended to become the airline’s main hub once completed.
Ethiopian Airlines’ Infrastructure Development & Planning Director Abraham Tesfaye said the carrier would finance 30% of the project, with the remainder funded by lenders.
The airline has already allocated $610 million for initial earthworks, which are expected to take around one year. Major construction contractors are scheduled to begin work in August 2026.
The cost of the project was initially estimated at $10 billion before being revised upward to $12.5 billion.
Among expected financiers is the African Development Bank, which said in August it would provide $500 million in financing and lead efforts to raise $8.7 billion from other lenders. Tesfaye said lenders from the Middle East, Europe, China and the United States had shown strong interest in financing the project.
