NAIROBI, Kenya- President William Ruto has said Kenya will have a “brand-new airport” in Nairobi within 18 months, declaring that construction of the country’s main aviation gateway is already underway.
President Ruto made the announcement on Wednesday during the Kenya Private Sector Alliance Presidential Roundtable at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.
“We will finish the airport because we don’t have an airport,” President Ruto said, referring to the passenger experience at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
“In the next 18 months, we will have a brand-new airport,” he added.
The President said the government had reorganised the project after controversy surrounding a proposed partnership involving India’s Adani Group.
Project reset after Adani controversy
President Ruto said the airport plan had faced setbacks after public debate over the proposed Adani arrangement, but maintained that the government had since moved forward with a new approach.
“Remember, there was a small challenge with noise around Adani and others, but we have since reorganised, and now the airport is under construction,” he told business leaders.
The President said the upgraded facility would improve the experience of travellers arriving in Kenya and better reflect the country’s ambitions as a regional aviation, tourism and business hub.
His announcement places a fresh 18-month deadline on the project, which is expected to modernise and expand Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Kenya’s busiest international gateway.
Sh154 billion JKIA modernisation plan
Although President Ruto described the project as a new airport, official government documents describe it as a major modernisation and development programme at JKIA.
In June, the Ministry of Roads and Transport announced the signing of a KSh154.2 billion design-and-build contract with China Road and Bridge Corporation for the JKIA Modernisation and Development Project.
The project includes the construction of a new passenger terminal and associated support facilities, as well as the modernisation of existing airport infrastructure.
It will also cover improvements to airside and landside operations, including taxiways, aprons, aircraft support facilities, access roads, parking, air traffic control, firefighting facilities, cargo infrastructure and utility systems.
The government says the new terminal is expected to accommodate an additional 10 million passengers annually, with room for further expansion.
Pressure on Kenya’s main aviation gateway
JKIA has faced growing pressure from rising passenger numbers, congestion and infrastructure limitations.
According to the Ministry of Roads and Transport, the airport handled about 8.93 million passengers in 2025, above its designed annual capacity of about 7.5 million passengers.
The ministry has said congestion affects passenger terminals, the runway system, apron areas and access roads, limiting operational efficiency and the airport’s ability to accommodate future growth.
The government’s master plan projects passenger traffic at JKIA could rise to about 22.31 million annually by 2045, while cargo volumes are also expected to more than double.
President Ruto said the planned development would change the impression of Kenya’s principal airport and boost the country’s position as an East African transport hub.
If completed within the timeline, the upgraded airport would become one of the administration’s most significant infrastructure projects and a key test of its delivery record.
