Ethiopia launches Africa’s biggest airport under Vision 2035 with $12.5 billion

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At a Glance

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• New Bishoftu airport targets over 100 million passengers annually, easing pressure on Addis Ababa.
• Ethiopian Airlines leads phased project aligned with Vision 2035 global expansion strategy.
• Mega-airport strengthens Africa-Europe-Asia connectivity and supports cargo, maintenance, and aviation manufacturing.

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Ethiopia, home to Africa’s biggest carrier, has begun construction of a $12.5 billion airport that is set to become Africa’s largest, reinforcing the country’s ambition to dominate continental air travel.

The new airport, to be built near Bishoftu, about 40 kilometers southeast of Addis Ababa, is designed to be the largest aviation infrastructure project in Africa’s history, according to a statement by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on X.

The airport, more than four times the capacity of Ethiopia’s current main airport, will have space to park 270 planes and capacity for 110 million passengers a year, thereby easing mounting pressure on Bole International Airport, which has been operating above capacity.

Why Ethiopia is building Africa’s biggest Airport
Once completed, the facility is expected to handle more than 100 million passengers annually, placing it among the world’s largest aviation hubs.

The project is being led by Ethiopian Airlines Group as part of a long-term infrastructure plan aligned with its Vision 2035 strategy. The roadmap aims to transform the state-owned carrier into a leading global aviation group, expanding its passenger, cargo, maintenance, and logistics businesses.

Ethiopian Airlines and vision 2035 strategy
Ethiopian officials say the airport will be developed in phases, with the first stage expected to come on stream later this decade.

Beyond passenger traffic, the hub will significantly expand cargo handling, aircraft maintenance, and aviation-linked manufacturing, strengthening Addis Ababa’s role as a strategic gateway between Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

What the Airport means for African aviation
The scale of the investment highlights aviation’s growing importance to Ethiopia’s economy. Ethiopian Airlines is the country’s most successful state-backed enterprise, generating foreign currency, supporting tourism, and creating thousands of skilled jobs.

The airline currently serves more than 140 international destinations and continues to expand its fleet and cargo capacity.

For Africa’s aviation sector, the project reflects rising confidence in long-term air travel demand driven by urbanization, a growing middle class, and deeper intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

If delivered as planned, Ethiopia’s new airport will reshape regional connectivity and stand as a landmark bet on the continent’s economic future.