Africa's incredible new £6billion 'mega-airport city' set to be biggest on the continent

A huge four-runway being built in Ethiopia is expected to one day serve a massive 110 million passengers per year. Bishoftu International Airport, which is being described as a "Mega City", is being built 25 miles from the country's capital, Addis Ababa.

It will be constructed in two phases, with the second set to be completed in 2029, previously reported. Ethiopian Airlines has partnered with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to develop the travel hub, which will reportedly cost a staggering £7.8billion (£5.9bn).

Ethiopian Airlines Group reportedly awarded a consultancy contract to a consortium led by Dar Al-Handasah Consultants (Shair and Partners), with Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), Pascall+Watson Architects, Landrum & Brown, and TY Lin, to deliver the project, as per reported in August.

Ethiopian Airlines' chief executive, Mesfin Tasew, has previously said the first phase "includes the construction of the airport facility with a capacity of 60 million passengers per year, and the completion of phase two of the airport project will grow to handling more than 100 million passengers per year", state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The executive says once complete, the travel hub would become the continent's biggest airport.

It's hoped that the airport, which will boast four runways and have aprons for 270 aircraft, will boost the nation's economic growth, while providing some much needed travel capacity.

Executives at Ethiopian Airlines believe passenger traffic at the existing Addis Ababa Bole airport will soon exceed its designed capacity, despite having been expanded,

The airport is notable both for its status as one of the continent's biggest, but located at a height of 2,334 meters (7,625 feet), it's also one of the world's highest.

According to Times Aerospace, the first phase will see the construction on the new aiport will see two of the runways and the first of two terminals constructed.

Two additional runways and the second terminal will reportedly come in the second phase, with the project also bringing hotels, shopping malls, and commercial complex buildings.

Dar's director of operations in Ethiopia Tariq Al-Qanni said: "We are privileged to be collaborating with Ethiopian Airlines on this visionary new airport, which will provide vital global air connectivity, accelerate economic growth in Ethiopia, and elevate Ethiopian Airlines into Africa's most strategic and most competitive aviation group."

The busiest airport in the world currently is Dubai International Airport, which handled a record 92.3million passengers in 2024. Another mega airport that would become the largest in the world is currently being built in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.