Nairobi Airport prepares for an aviation revolution: Kenya awards China a $2.9 billion contract to upgrade its largest airport.

Written by Omnia Hassan

In a move reflecting the return of massive cooperation between  Kenya In the infrastructure sector, China has awarded China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) a $2.9 billion contract by the Kenyan government to expand and modernize Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the capital, Nairobi, one of the most important airports in East Africa.

The project is one of the largest investments in the Kenyan aviation sector in recent years, and represents a return of giant Chinese projects after the collapse of a previous agreement with the Indian Adani Group, which was scheduled to implement it for $2 billion before it was cancelled in November 2024.

Why was the Indian project cancelled?

The Indian Adani Group was expected to implement the airport development plan through a concession system, but the project faced widespread political opposition and legal challenges within Kenya, along with accusations of corruption and bribery that sparked considerable controversy.

Although the US Department of Justice later closed the investigations into the allegations due to insufficient evidence, the project never saw the light of day, prompting Nairobi to look for an alternative capable of implementing its ambitious plans to develop the airport.

A development plan extending until 2045

The new project is part of the airport’s 20-year master plan to 2045, which aims to transform Jomo Kenyatta International Airport into a regional hub better able to accommodate the accelerating growth in air travel.

The development work includes:

Upgrading and expanding the runways.

Construction and development of passenger terminals.

Increased aircraft parking.

Improving the roads leading to the airport.

Developing facilities and support services.

The airport received approximately 9 million passengers during 2025, exceeding its design capacity of 7.5 million passengers, making expansion an urgent necessity to keep pace with increasing demand.

Diversified funding and business launch soon

Construction work is expected to begin this month, with the project to be financed through privatization proceeds that will be injected into the National Infrastructure Fund, in addition to commercial loans backed by air passenger service fees.

A heated African race for aviation leadership

The new contract strengthens Chinese influence in Kenya’s infrastructure sector, where CCCC has already implemented a number of major projects, including the Nairobi Expressway and the standard-gauge railway line between Mombasa and Nairobi.

This move comes at a time of heightened regional competition in the aviation sector, with Ethiopia planning to build a new $12.5 billion airport near Addis Ababa, while Rwanda continues to develop a new international airport in partnership with Qatar Airways, prompting Kenya to accelerate its plans to maintain its position as a major aviation hub in East Africa.