Kenya signs $1.2B deal with Chinese firm to expand Nairobi airport

Kenya has signed a $1.2 billion agreement with a Chinese state-owned construction company to expand and modernize the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), a major infrastructure project aimed at strengthening the country's position as East Africa's leading aviation gateway.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the deal with the China Road and Bridge Corporation would include a new passenger terminal, upgraded infrastructure and operational improvements across the airport.

“The project scope includes the construction of a new terminal building and associated support facilities, the modernization and upgrading of existing infrastructure, the improvement of airside and landside operations,” Chirchir wrote on US social media company X.

The project is expected to increase the airport's annual passenger handling capacity to 22 million, up from approximately 7.5 million, boosting Kenya's ambitions to accommodate growing regional and international air traffic.

Located 18 kilometers (11 miles) southeast of Nairobi's central business district, JKIA is Kenya's principal international gateway and one of Africa's busiest airports, serving millions of passengers annually and acting as a key hub for regional trade, tourism and cargo transportation.

The expansion comes as Kenya seeks to strengthen its role as a regional transport and logistics hub amid growing competition from other African aviation centers.

The agreement marks a significant step forward for a project that has undergone several revisions and financing discussions over the years as the government searched for a viable model to upgrade the aging facility.

Last week, Chirchir said Kenya had appointed the Africa Finance Corporation and the Trade and Development Bank to help arrange financing for the project.

In addition to the new terminal, the project will involve rehabilitation of existing airport facilities and operational upgrades aimed at improving efficiency, reducing congestion and supporting future growth in passenger and cargo traffic.

The airport modernization program forms part of President William Ruto's broader infrastructure agenda, which seeks to improve connectivity, support economic growth and enhance Kenya's position as a gateway to eastern and central Africa.