The $2b Rwandan airport that could help African aviation take off

Some 40 kilometers south of the Rwandan capital of Kigali in the Bugesera District, construction vehicles and high-visibility vests swarm across an arid expanse of land. Here, two strips of tarmac are the cornerstone of a $2b airport, whose developers want it to be the jewel in the crown of Africa’s aviation industry. Slated for completion in 2026, the new facility will boast a 130,000-square-meter main terminal building capable of accommodating 8m passengers a year, a figure expected to rise to over 14m in the following decades. Adjacent will be a dedicated cargo terminal, capable of accommodating 150,000 tons of cargo a year. It’s a significant upgrade on the existing Kigali International Airport, which is set to remain operational for special arrivals, some chartered flights, and a pilot training school. Pre-pandemic, the airport was shuttling close to 1m passengers annually, but its geographic limitations – perched on top of a small hill and surrounded by human settlements – meant a move was necessary to allow expansion. “I’m amazed, it’s like a dream come true to see the impact and magnitude of this project to the population,” said Jules Ndenga, CEO of Aviation Travel and Logistics Holding, the Rwandan government-owned company that is overseeing construction. “We are really impassioned to see the efforts completed and starting operations.” Qatar Airways will have a 60% ownership of the new airport. The Middle Eastern airline will also acquire 49% of shares in the African country’s flag carrier airline, Rwandair, offering access to over 65 locations around the world.<br/>