The government has handed China Communications Construction Company a Ksh375.4 billion ($2.9 billion) contract to upgrade and expand Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) through the newly created National Infrastructure Fund (NIF).
The award to the Chinese state-owned company comes several months after President William Ruto announced that construction would commence in June 2026 after the government received seed capital for the NIF from the privatisation of the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC).
According to Bloomberg, the agreement signals a renewed push for large-scale infrastructure projects involving Chinese contractors following the collapse of a proposed concession deal with India’s Adani Group two years ago.
The JKIA expansion will be guided by a 20-year master plan extending to 2045, outlining phased infrastructure upgrades, investment requirements, and financial viability projections.
People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that China Communications Construction Company had secured the contract, although the government is yet to issue an official announcement confirming the award.
In March, President Ruto said the government would allocate Ksh20 billion from proceeds generated through the KPC sale as initial funding for the redevelopment of the 68-year-old airport.
It remains unclear, however, how the government intends to raise the remaining more than Ksh355 billion needed to complete the project.
Chinese contractors continue to play a prominent role in Kenya’s infrastructure development, having participated in projects such as the Nairobi Expressway, the Rironi-Mau Summit highway upgrade, the Standard Gauge Railway, and other major developments.
Earlier government plans indicated that the airport expansion would be carried out in two phases aimed at boosting capacity, modernising facilities, and improving passenger services.
The first phase will concentrate on enhancing existing infrastructure, including taxiways, passenger processing facilities, landside access roads, and digital systems.
The upgrades are expected to increase JKIA’s annual passenger handling capacity to 12 million within 18 months.
The second phase will deliver major new infrastructure, including a 4,500-metre parallel runway and a 230,000-square-metre passenger terminal capable of accommodating an additional 10 million passengers each year.
The proposed terminal will adopt a modern X-shaped design intended to improve passenger movement and increase operational efficiency.
