U.S. Pledges Support For Ethiopia’s New $10B Mega Airport

The U.S. has pledged support for the construction of a $10 billion international airport in Ethiopia, a project expected to make it the largest airport in Africa.

The Bishoftu International Airport, to be built 40 km  (24.8 miles) south of Addis Ababa, will ease congestion at the capital’s Bole International Airport and expand the capacity of Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier.

The announcement, made by U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos on Sept. 29, following a state visit to Ethiopia, marks President Donald Trump’s first major business initiative in the Horn of Africa. 

The new airport, expected to span 35 km2, will be built in phases, with phase one consisting of a 1.1 million m2 terminal with capacity for up to 60 million passengers per year.

The second phase will see the terminal expanded, to handle up to 100 million passengers per year. More than 100,000 m2 of cargo facilities are also being built to handle up to 3.73 million tons of cargo annually.

Addis Ababa’s existing Bole International Airport currently has the capacity to handle around 19 million passengers annually. The project also includes an airport city with hotels, shopping centers, and recreational facilities.

“It’s going to be probably the biggest airport in Africa and one of the biggest in the world,” Boulos said at a press conference in New York on Sept. 29. “It’s a $10 billion project, probably more.”

Boulos also confirmed that the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is also involved and collaborating with Boeing on projects related to Ethiopian Airlines and “other initiatives” across Africa.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is also backing the project. In August, it signed an agreement with Ethiopian Airlines to mobilize up to $8 billion in financing, including $500 million in direct funding, pending board approval. AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina called the airport a “game-changer” for African aviation.

Groundwork for Bishoftu International Airport is scheduled to begin in late 2025, with completion set for November 2029.

Once operational, all international airline and cargo operations are expected to relocate from the existing airport Bole to this new facility. Bole will then handle domestic flights.