Ethiopian Airlines has kicked off construction of a new $12.5 billion airport in Bishoftu, about 45 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, in what officials describe as Africa’s largest aviation infrastructure project to date. ADVERTISEMENTSidara, a Dubai-based engineering and consulting business, has been contracted to design the airport, according to the company's head of operations, Tariq Al Qanni. Project fundingEthiopian Airlines plans to fund 30% of the project, with the remainder coming from lenders. The company has already set aside $610 million for initial earthworks, scheduled for completion within a year, while major contractors are expected to begin construction in August 2026. Originally estimated at $10 billion, the project has since been revised to $12.5 billion.

Source: Ethiopian News January 11, 2026 09:27 UTC