Ethiopian Airlines, AfDB Partner for $7.8B Bishoftu Airport Project
Ethiopia’s $7.8B Bishoftu Airport expected to serve 60 million passengers annually by 2040
Ethiopian Airlines Group has partnered with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to develop the Bishoftu International Airport in Ethiopia.
A Letter of Intent (LoI) was signed on March 14, 2025, by Mr. Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, and Mrs. Nnenna Nwabufo, AfDB Vice President for Regional Development, Integration, and Strategy. The signing was witnessed by AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, H.E. Ahmed Shide.
Bishoftu Airport: Addressing Demand
The new mega Airport project, according to a statement by the Ministry of Finance, is estimated at US$7.8 billion and is expected to expand annual passenger capacity from the current 17 million to over 60 million by 2040.
The development is “reinforcing Ethiopian Airlines’ position as Africa’s leading aviation group and maintaining its competitive edge in passenger and cargo transport, aviation training, flight catering, maintenance, ground handling services, as well as supporting Ethiopia’s aspiration for major tourism destination.”
Solidifying Africa’s Aviation Hub
Dr. Adesina described the airport as an “African flagship project”—reiterating AfDB’s commitment to its success and highlighting Ethiopia’s economic resilience, including 8.1% GDP growth under Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed’s leadership.
The Ministry of Finance emphasised that the Bishoftu International Airport will not only address the growing demand for passenger and cargo services, which the existing Bole International Airport is unable to accommodate, but will also support Africa’s broader connectivity and integration goals by “solidifying the continent’s aviation hub status.”