Govt floats multi-billion tender for JKIA facelift
By Francis Muli, March 4, 2026The government has issued a multi-billion shilling tender for the expansion and modernization of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), setting in motion one of the most ambitious infrastructure upgrades in Kenya’s aviation history.
In a statement on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir announced that the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) had formally invited bids to construct a new passenger terminal and upgrade existing facilities at the country’s primary international gateway.
JKIA, Kenya’s main aviation hub and the operational base of Kenya Airways, is currently grappling with severe congestion across its runway system, passenger terminals and apron areas. According to the Ministry, the airport handled approximately 8.93 million passengers in 2025, significantly exceeding its designed annual capacity of 7.5 million passengers.
“The Airport operates with a single runway and a terminal complex that has evolved incrementally over time, resulting in space and circulation constraints,” Chirchir said.
To address these challenges, KAA completed an Integrated Master Plan and Feasibility Study in February 2026, which outlined a phased development strategy. The first phase will focus on optimizing and expanding existing infrastructure to address immediate capacity constraints, while the second phase will involve large-scale expansion to meet long-term growth projections.
Passenger traffic at JKIA is projected to grow from 8.93 million in 2025 to 22.31 million by 2045, representing an average annual growth rate of 4.6 per cent. Air cargo volumes are also expected to more than double, rising from 407,214 tons in 2025 to 860,400 tons by 2045.
The expansion plan includes upgrading the existing runway, constructing a partial parallel taxiway, and adding rapid exit taxiways to improve landing efficiency and increase runway throughput. The project will also involve reconfiguring and selectively expanding current passenger terminals, digitalizing check-in and security systems, modernizing immigration and baggage handling facilities, and optimizing vehicle parking and landside access.
In addition to these upgrades, the tender provides for the development of a brand-new passenger terminal capable of handling an additional 10 million passengers annually, with room for future expansion. The works will also include upgrading air traffic control systems, firefighting stations, cargo facilities, maintenance zones, fuel systems, and utilities infrastructure.
“The planned enhancement and expansion of JKIA is a strategic national initiative aimed at meeting Kenya’s future aviation needs, enhancing service quality, and safeguarding the airport’s role as a leading regional gateway,” Chirchir stated.
Beyond aviation infrastructure, KAA also intends to develop an Airport City and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) around JKIA. The SEZ will target high-value, time-sensitive industries such as air cargo logistics, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, light manufacturing and e-commerce fulfillment. The Airport City component will incorporate business parks, hotels, convention facilities, aviation services, and mixed-use developments.
The government says the integrated development will position JKIA as a fully-fledged aviation-led economic hub, boosting trade, attracting investment, generating employment, and strengthening Kenya’s standing as East Africa’s leading air transport and logistics gateway.
Chirchir emphasized that the Ministry and KAA remain committed to transparent implementation of the project and pledged to keep stakeholders and the public informed as the tender process progresses.