The Government of Kenya has announced plans to expand Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to address rising passenger and cargo demand and to position Nairobi as a regional aviation and logistics hub for East and Central Africa.
Why Expansion Is Necessary
JKIA currently handles 9+ million passengers annually and over 360,000 tonnes of cargo, with demand projected to more than double over the next two decades. Feasibility and advisory studies prepared during earlier planning— including those associated with Adani Group—and subsequent government assessments indicate:
- Passenger traffic could exceed 20–22 million annually by the 2040s
- Air cargo demand is growing at ~5% per year, driven by perishables, e-commerce, and regional trade
- Existing terminals and a single main runway are approaching capacity, risking congestion and loss of hub competitiveness to Addis Ababa, Kigali, and Dar es Salaam
What the Expansion Envisions
Under a revised public-sector–led master plan coordinated by the Kenya Airports Authority, the expansion includes:
- A new passenger terminal to significantly increase capacity
- A second runway to improve safety, resilience, and on-time performance
- Expanded cargo, taxiway, and airfield infrastructure
- Development of an airport city with logistics, services, and commercial facilities
Lessons from the Adani Proposal
A proposed long-term concession with Adani Group (valued at ~US$2–2.5 billion) was discontinued in 2025 following public concern over transparency and governance. While the deal did not proceed, its studies reinforced the economic case for expansion and informed the current phased, publicly accountable approach.
Financing Approach
The government is pursuing a blended financing strategy, including:
- International development finance
- Public funding and securitized instruments
- Carefully structured PPPs for specific components, where value for money and transparency are assured
Public Call for Ideas
Stakeholders and the public are invited to share ideas on how best to:
- Improve passenger experience and digital services
- Strengthen cargo and cold-chain logistics
- Integrate rail and urban transport access
- Embed sustainability and green design
- Build local skills, jobs, and innovation
- Position Nairobi as the preferred regional hub
Share Your Feedback
We invite passengers, Kenyans, and all interested stakeholders to share ideas and suggestions on how Jomo Kenyatta International Airport can be improved and developed into a world-class regional hub. Your experiences and insights matter. Please submit your feedback using the form below and help shape the future of JKIA.
What we’re looking for in your feedback:
Thoughtful, specific feedback will be especially valuable. Submissions that reference particular areas of JKIA—such as terminals, access roads, passenger flows, cargo zones, parking, or landside connections—and that draw on personal experience, maps, or spatial observations will receive close attention. Concrete, location-based insights help planners understand not just what needs improvement, but where and how change can have the greatest impact.
We particularly encourage submissions that include:
- Specific pain points or strengths tied to terminals, gates, runways, access roads, or surrounding land use
- Ideas grounded in real journeys, operations, or comparisons with other regional or global airports
- Suggestions that improve passenger experience, efficiency, safety, accessibility, and sustainability
- Proposals that strengthen JKIA’s role as a regional hub for aviation, cargo, and transit connectivity
- Insights on community, environmental, or economic impacts around the airport precinct
All feedback received will be reviewed and synthesized. A formal public summary document capturing key themes, insights, and recommendations is expected to be shared by 1 March 2026.
Please send us an email to info@jkiairport.com to share your feedback/ideas.