KAA moots plan to upgrade airports after Adani debacle
By John Otini, July 25, 2025Kenya Airports Authority (KIA) has announced a new plan to upgrade Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Wilson Airport after the collapse of a bid to hand over the operations of the regional gateway to India’s Adani Group.
The move comes amid mounting concerns over poor infrastructure, congestion, and safety risks at the country’s busiest aviation hubs.
Both airports are struggling with aging facilities and years of stalled expansion. JKIA is overcrowded and operating beyond capacity, while Wilson has leaking roofs, outdated runways, and limited space for growth. Despite increasing passenger and airline traffic, previous upgrade plans were delayed or abandoned.
Under the new modernisation plan, KAA will expand runways, improve drainage and taxiways, and construct new operational centres at both airports.
“We want to put up a state-of-the-art facility that will represent what we as Kenya are, that will represent our strength economically, that will represent the growth that we envisage,” said KAA chair Caleb Kositany. The chairman did not show how the project will be funded.
The plan comes as part of a broader integrated master plan that aims to restore basic functionality and position Kenya as a serious aviation player in the region. At Wilson, the focus is on rehabilitating the two main runways to improve safety and reduce congestion.
“So, at the moment I can say that at Wilson Airport the passenger experience is not up to the international standards,” said Winnie Nafula, board member (Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO). “However, with the rehabilitation, we are hoping that the same facilities that we have at JKIA will also be replicated at Wilson Airport.”
Domestic demand
Kositany says the upgrades are critical to meeting growing domestic demand. “More and more airlines are operating out of Wilson Airport, so of course there’s a constraint. So, the rehabilitation will help reduce the congestion that is currently being faced by most of the operators,” he said.
The modernisation plan also seeks to address long-standing safety concerns raised by pilots and airlines. Unauthorised high-rise buildings and commercial properties have encroached on flight paths, creating hazards for incoming and outgoing aircraft. Stakeholders have urged the government to enforce aviation zoning laws and reclaim protected airspace.
Public consultations are ongoing under a strategic environmental and social impact assessment to address concerns from communities and regulators. The goal is to align the upgrade with safety, sustainability, and operational efficiency standards. JKIA, a key regional hub for international traffic, has suffered from patchwork repairs and repeated delays to planned terminals.
KAA is now under pressure to fix the basics before Kenya loses its competitive edge to other regional airports that are expanding faster and more efficiently. Kositany said the focus is no longer on flashy proposals but on urgent repairs and building practical, durable infrastructure.
“The critical infrastructure upgrade is aimed at enhancing operational safety, efficiency and capacity for the busiest domestic hubs in East Africa,” he said.
The new plan marks a shift in approach by KAA, which is now prioritising internal execution and public accountability over failed partnerships. The authority is expected to begin procurement and design work in the coming months.