By Emmanuel Nduka
Ethiopian Airlines has signed an agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to develop Africa’s largest airport.
According to the agreement, the Bishoftu International Airport project is worth $7.8 billion.
The project aims to dramatically scale up Ethiopia’s aviation capacity, to handle 60 million passengers annually by 2040, up from the current 17 million.
The landmark agreement was signed between Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, and Nnenna Nwabufo, vice president for regional development, integration, and strategy at AfDB.
The new airport will be constructed in Abusera, near Bishoftu, in Ethiopia’s Oromia region.
Ethiopian Airlines has a long history, dating back to its founding in the 1940s. As Africa’s largest and most successful airline, it has played a central role in the continent’s aviation industry, serving as a vital link between African countries and the rest of the world.
Heritage Times HT reports that the new airport initiative represents a natural progression in Ethiopian Airlines’ ambition to maintain its status as a leader in African aviation and further expand its influence.
On its part, the AfDB has long been a key player in financing infrastructure development across the African continent.
The $7.8 billion investment in the new airport aligns with AfDB’s strategy to improve regional integration, economic development, and trade within Africa.
