A massive £4.7 billion ($6 billion) airport is soon going to come up in Ethiopia that will position the country as a major hub in Africa’s aviation industry. Touted as the biggest in Africa, the airport will be able to handle 100 million passengers a year once completed in five years.
Ethiopian Airlines chief executive Mesfin Tasew said in a press conference that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed with Dubai-based consulting company Dar to develop the design for the airport, which will have four runways.
This ambitious project, aimed at transforming air travel in the region, was officially launched on August 3, 2016, with an agreement signed between Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, and Tariq Al-Khani, CEO of Dar.
The airport will be built in Bishoftu, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of the capital Addis Ababa, and stretch across 35 square kilometres (13.5 square miles), Mr Tasew explained.
According to state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate, he said: “The first phase includes the construction of the airport facility with a capacity of 60 million passengers per year and the completion of phase two of the airport project will grow to handling more than 100 million passengers per year.”
Dar director of operations Tariq Al-Qanni, who was at the press conference, said it would be the biggest airport in Africa once complete, Fana reported.
“The scope of the agreement is for Dar to develop the detailed design of the new airport and at the same time to assist Ethiopian Airlines in the selection of the contractors who will build the new airport facilities,” Mesfin added.
Ethiopian Airlines is the largest in Africa, last month reporting revenue of $7 billion for its 2023/24 financial year, carrying 17.1 million passengers.
Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, currently the airline’s hub, has a maximum capacity of 25 million passengers a year.
The new airport, to be built in Abusera near Bishoftu, represents a strategic initiative by Ethiopian Airlines to meet the increasing demand for air travel and establish Ethiopia as a key hub in Africa’s aviation industry.
Dar’s involvement in this project is extensive, covering the design phase – expected to be completed within a year – as well as providing consultancy services to assist in selecting the construction contractor. This ensures that the project will be carried out with expert guidance and efficiency.
Tariq Al-Khani highlighted that the airport’s design would be strongly inspired by Ethiopia’s rich cultural heritage, celebrating the nation’s multiculturalism and historical importance.
This approach aims to create not just a functional and modern airport, but also a landmark that proudly represents Ethiopia’s identity on the global stage.