Ethiopia has formally launched construction of the Bishoftu International Airport, a flagship infrastructure project poised to become Africa’s largest aviation hub upon completion. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed over the weekend laid the cornerstone near Bishoftu in the Oromia regional state, about 40 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, positioning the development as a strategic response to surging air traffic and capacity constraints at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
The project’s first phase, scheduled for completion within four years, will accommodate 60 million passengers annually, scaling to 110 million when fully built. Plans include two passenger terminals, two parallel runways, parking for 180 aircraft, a hotel, a cargo terminal with capacity for 1.5 million tonnes annually, and a dedicated aircraft maintenance hub.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew said the initial phase will also deliver a multi-lane highway linking the airport to Addis Ababa and a 38-kilometre high-speed railway operating at 120–200 km/h.
Once completed, the Bishoftu International Airport is expected to bolster Ethiopian Airlines’ global competitiveness, deepen continental connectivity under the African Continental Free Trade Area, expand trade and tourism corridors, and cement Ethiopia’s role as a pivotal intercontinental aviation gateway.