- Ethiopian airlines: “With predictions that project up to 60 million passengers annually by 2040, Bole International Airport is not feasible, making a new Mega-Hub Airport essential.”
- Groundworks for Ethiopian Airlines New address, Bishhoftu International Airport, is expected to start at the end of 2025, with phase one set for completion by November 2029.
- The $ 10 billion project includes an airport city, complete with shopping centers, hotels, recreational areas, as well as direct rail and highway tires to Addis Ababa.
Ethiopian Airlines ambition To become a global aviation giant, has received a boost after the authorities in the country have entered into a deal with the African Development Bank (Divb) to increase the billions needed to build a new, modern airport.
AFTB is contracted as the lead arranger, global coordinator and biscuit runner to mobilize nearly $ 8 billion of the $ 10 billion needed to build a new Greenfield: Bishhofte International Airport (BIA).
Bishhofte International Airport (BIA) is expected to have an initial capacity of 60 million passengers before it pushes up to 110 million annually. Moreover, the new airport is expected to be about 3.73 million tonnes of freight at about 40 kilometers from Addis Ababa every year.
Ethiopia Eyes ‘World’s Top 20 Aviation Hubs by 2035’ Status
“This world -class airport will serve as an essential gateway to progress and prosperity. More than a transport hub, it is a transforming project that will position Ethiopia in the top 20 airline hubs in the world by 2035,” said Foreign Minister Ahmed Shide.
According to Ethiopian Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Lema Yadecha, the current address of the aviation company, Bole International Airport, 19 million passengers, who approach his extensive capacity of 25 million.
“With predictions that project up to 60 million passengers annually by 2040, further expanding Bole is not feasible, making a new Mega-Hub Airport essential,” Yadecha explains.
According to an update, AFDB is planning to go up to $ 500 million in financing to the new project.
“The African Development Bank is proud to work with Ethiopia in its vision to expand the operational and fleet capacity of the Ethiopian airlines,” said Department President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina during the signing ceremony, the praise of Ethiopia for the prizes of “Africa at the top in Global Aviation.”
“With its 75 years of operational history, Ethiopian airlines are the oldest and best airline in Africa. It is crucial for regional economic integration, which connects capitals, people and markets, with its worldwide -rated freight facilities,” said the Bank Group Chief.
Other guests at the ceremony included Ethiopian Airlines Group Board Chair Hon. LT general Yilma Merressa, Malawi’s Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Simplex Chithiola, ambassador of South Sudan in Ethiopia Boutros Thk Thk Thk, the Democratic Republic of Congos in Ethiopia Excael Kabongo, and Zambon Thomas.
Boost Intra-African trade
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew, which was represented during the signing ceremony by Chief Commercial Officer Yadecha, said: “The signing of this mandate letter marks a decisive step in the direction of realizing a Pan-African gateway of world class, Tour and Tour and Tour Afection and Tour Afection and Tour Afection and Tour Afection and Tour and Trade and Tour Afection and Trade and Tour and Trade and Tour and Trade and Tour and Trade and Tour and Trade and Trade and Trade and Glass and Trade and Glass and Africa-Africae and Glass. Connectivity will increase. “
The earthworks are expected to start at the end of 2025, with phase I expected to be completed in November 2029. The project with several billions will include an airport city with facilities such as shopping centers, hotels, recreational areas, as well as direct rail and highway tires to Addis Ababa.
Adesina, who made his last official visit to Ethiopia, praised the ‘visionary leadership’ of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, whom he noticed, the country transforms’ every hour, every day, every week. Speed and scale are now the characteristics of Ethiopia ‘.
He summarized the financing partnership between Ethiopian Airlines and the bank as a suitable between the largest airline in Africa – with a particularly remarkable record of supporting the global response to the COVID19 Pandemie – and the largest infrastructure finance of the Continent and worldwide -wise change.
“In the past ten years under my presidency, the bank has financed more than $ 55 billion in infrastructure,” said Dr. Adesina, promised “to do everything we can do to support Ethiopia to realize his dream.” He noted that in 2016 the African Development Bank extended a company loan of $ 160 million to support the modernization and expansion of the fleet of the Ethiopian airline.
“I want to assure you that the African Development Bank will deliver, so that this project can be delivered to its people by Ethiopia,” said Dr. Adesina.
The Ethiopian Airlines Group and the AFDB signed a declaration of intent on 24 March 2025 to make a partner of the financing of this flagship project.
The bank has a track record of responsible structuring and mobilizing financing of commercial banks, development financing institutions and institutional investors for structured projects on the entire continent.
It supports various transformative infrastructure projects as a mandatory lead arranger, including the Aysha Wind Power Project in Ethiopia and the Tanzania-Burundi-DR Congo Standard Gauge Railway Project.
Transport companies in state ownership
Over the years, the bank has successfully carried out Debtraise Mandates for infrastructure projects with limited HCours, as well as transport companies from the state, such as Transnet, Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique and Ghana Airports Company.
The international airport of Bishoftu will serve international passenger and freight traffic, as a supplement to Bolle International Airport, which will retain the domestic activities of Ethiopian.
Ethiopian Airlines Hub-and-Spoke network, with subregional hubs, stimulates connectivity in Africa and with the rest of the world. With the planned airport, the speed, frequency and scale of connections for people, goods and services have been set to increase considerably.
The expansion is also in line with one of the high 5 priorities of the African Development Bank, namely integrating Africa by splitting barriers, building cross -border links and enabling African economies to act, travel and thrive in a worldwide competing environment.
Ethiopian Airlines: most successful aviation unit in Africa?
Ethiopian Airlines Group, the most successful airline in Africa, with more than 75 years of operational history, is the seven -time consecutive winner of Skytrax’s’ Best Airline ‘in Africa’ Award.
In the tax year ending on June 30, 2025, the airline reported record income of $ 7.6 billion, which reflects an annual growth of 8 percent on an annual basis. It transported 19 million passengers, with 15.1 million on international routes and 3.9 million within the country.
The company has assigned a total of $ 350 million for repair and resettlement of communities that will be affected by construction.
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