The African Development Bank ( AfDB ) has been appointed as the initial mandated lead arranger, global coordinator, and bookrunner to mobilize US$8 billion for a planned airport in Ethiopia. The bank plans to contribute US$500 million.  

Located 40 kilometres south of Addis Ababa, the greenfield Bishoftu International Airport ( BIA ) will have an initial capacity of 60 million passengers, eventually expanding to 110 million, and transport 3.73 million tonnes of cargo annually. Total initial project cost is estimated at US$10 billion.

Groundworks will begin later this year, with Phase I expected to be completed by November 2029. The project will include an airport city with facilities such as shopping malls, hotels, recreation areas, as well as direct rail and expressway links to Addis Ababa.

The BIA will serve international passenger and cargo traffic, complementing Bole International Airport, which will retain the country’s domestic operations.

Ethiopian Airlines‘ hub-and-spoke network, along with its subregional hubs, is driving connectivity across Africa and with the rest of the world.  With the planned airport, the speed, frequency, and scale of connections for people, goods, and services will increase significantly.

The expansion is in line with one of the AfDB’s “High 5” priorities, which is to integrate Africa by breaking down barriers, building cross-border links, and enabling African economies to trade, travel, and thrive together in a globally competitive environment.