Kenyan President William Ruto has announced plans to begin construction of a new airport at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) before the end of the year.
The move to improve upon the current JKIA is aimed at strengthening the country’s trade and tourism sectors and position Kenya as a regional aviation hub.
In his New Year message, President Ruto said, “We will begin the construction of a modern, world-class airport at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, to anchor our nation as the aviation capital of our region.”
The president added that the government is committed to fast-tracking the project, citing the critical role of expanded aviation infrastructure in driving economic growth and strengthening regional trade links.
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) said the new airport development is expected to significantly ease congestion at JKIA, which has been operating beyond its intended capacity. According to KAA, the airport handled approximately 8.6 million passengers in 2025, surpassing its design capacity of 7.5 million.
The announcement follows the collapse of earlier plans to expand JKIA. In November 2024, the government canceled a proposed $1.85 billion expansion deal with India’s Adani Group, which had sought to add a second runway and upgrade the passenger terminal in exchange for a 30-year lease. That deal was scrapped after legal challenges and sustained public pressure.
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