NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is moving forward with a major upgrade of Wilson Airport, even as alarm grows over the safety of its airspace due to land grabbing and the rapid rise of high-rise buildings near the busy domestic aviation hub.
Recent aerial inspections have confirmed serious encroachments into designated aviation buffer zones, raising fresh concerns among regulators, pilots, and aviation safety experts about potential hazards to aircraft operations.
The revelations came during a high-level stakeholder meeting held at Wilson Airport this week, where senior officials from KAA, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO), and the Nairobi City County Government convened to assess the way forward.
“Urban development pressures are threatening the safety and efficiency of operations at Wilson,” said KAA Board Chair Caleb Kositany. “Our aerial inspection demonstrates a shared commitment to upgrading this airport and safeguarding its critical role in Kenya’s air transport network.”
Wilson Airport handles over 120,000 aircraft movements annually, serving as a vital gateway for domestic and regional flights.
But Nairobi’s unregulated sprawl, marked by unchecked construction and illegal land acquisitions, has brought the airport’s safety zones under threat.
Aerial surveys conducted by KAA and KCAA revealed that numerous high-rise buildings and private developments have infringed on airspace and critical flight paths, a violation of both national and international aviation safety standards.
Despite these challenges, the KAA confirmed that a comprehensive rehabilitation of Wilson Airport will proceed, including full runway overhauls, improved safety infrastructure, and expanded airside operations.
The agency stressed that the upgrade will be carried out in coordination with regulators and city officials to ensure compliance with safety and zoning laws.
Kositany added that while the fate of the encroaching properties was not immediately disclosed, KAA would work with relevant authorities and stakeholders to ensure urban development aligns with aviation safety priorities.
Present at the meeting were KCAA Board Chair Brown Ondego, KAA Acting MD Mohamud Gedi, KCAA Director General Emile Arao, KAAO CEO Liz Aluvanze, and other senior officials.
The upgrade is part of a broader aviation infrastructure agenda outlined in Kenya’s 2024 Aviation Policy, which identifies a funding gap of Sh260 billion needed to modernize state-run airports nationwide.
Of that amount, Sh129 billion is required for Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) alone to expand capacity and maintain its status as a key regional hub.
The policy document admits that most airport infrastructure is inadequate for current passenger and cargo volumes and calls for urgent investment in safety, maintenance, and modernization.
