Jomo Kenyatta Airport Expansion: Kenya Revives $1.2B Upgrade Plan

Kenya has formally revived its long-delayed Jomo Kenyatta airport expansion, signing a KSh154.2 billion (approximately $1.2 billion) contract with China Road and Bridge Corporation to modernize Nairobi's primary aviation gateway. The project is designed to more than triple the airport's annual passenger capacity — from 7.5 million to roughly 22 million — through construction of a new terminal building, a new runway, and rehabilitation of existing airside and landside infrastructure, including taxiways and baggage handling systems.

Transport Minister Davis Chirchir confirmed the scope and budget, explicitly rejecting reports of a KSh375 billion valuation and denying allegations that IMC Construction was involved in the final contract award. President William Ruto indicated construction is targeted to begin in July, with a projected three-year timeline from financial close. The Africa Finance Corporation and the Trade and Development Bank have been appointed as lead arrangers, with financing structured around airport-based revenue streams and the National Infrastructure Fund — a departure from the public-private partnership model that collapsed following the cancellation of a deal with the Adani Group.

The upgrade is framed as a strategic imperative to maintain Nairobi's standing as East Africa's premier aviation hub amid rapid capacity expansions at rival airports in Ethiopia and Rwanda. For detailed technical specifications on Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, see JKIA airport data.