A massive international airport under construction in East Africa is poised to become the continent's largest. The Bishoftu International Airport (BIA), located near the town of Bishoftu in Ethiopia, approximately 25 miles from the capital Addis Ababa, is a colossal transport infrastructure project. It was launched partly to ease congestion at the nearby Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, which has already undergone expansion, while also significantly boosting the nation's tourism potential.
Design and Funding
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is leading the design of the vast project. State-owned Ethiopian Airlines is responsible for around 30% of the funding, with the remainder provided by international lenders.
Phased Development and Capacity
The plan is for the new travel hub to be built in phases. The initial goal is for it to accommodate 60 million passengers per year by 2030. That alone would place BIA well ahead of rival airports in Africa in terms of annual passenger capacity. For comparison, OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, often described as one of Africa's biggest airports, handles some 28 million passengers per year. Cairo International Airport (CAI), also among the continent's largest and busiest flight hubs, handles around 26 million passengers annually.
The African Development Bank (AfDB), a major lender involved in the project, stated that the aim is "ultimately scaling up to 110 million at full development in later phases." The plan includes eventually having four runways.
Construction Milestones
Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed toured the site on Monday, June 15, with his office saying it is taking shape thanks to round-the-clock construction work, according to the state-affiliated Fana Media Corporation. The official groundbreaking ceremony took place on January 10, marking the beginning of preliminary construction works.
Cost Estimates
Reporting on the event at the time, Reuters said the project was initially set to cost $10 billion in total (around £7.4 billion), but the estimate at that time was reportedly $12.5 billion (around £9.1 billion). Qatar's Civil Aviation Authority suggested it could be as much as $12.7 billion (£9.2 billion) at the time.
Connectivity and Additional Features
The airport will also be connected via a 38 km (23.6-mile) railway to both the capital and Bole International Airport, according to Railway Gazette. In addition to the runways and terminals, the works may eventually include the construction of hotels, shopping malls, as well as commercial complex buildings, as previous reports suggested. The first phase is planned to be completed by the end of the decade.
