KAA convenes a pre-bid session for the redevelopment of Nairobi's JKIA

As Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) prepares to handle 860,000 tonnes of cargo by 2045 and boost passenger air travel capacity, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) host a pre-bid conference for the advancement and modernisation of the airport, in collaboration with Kenyan Ministry of Roads and Transport along with Department for Aviation and Aerospace Development.

According to KAA, the session brought together prospective bidders to provide an on-ground overview of the project scope, site conditions and development expectations. The engagement aimed to ensure bidders have a clearer understanding of the project as Kenya moves forward with plans to upgrade its main international gateway.

The meeting was presided by Teresia Mbaika, Principal Secretary for Aviation and Aerospace Development under the Ministry of Roads and Transport, Kenya, who emphasised the economic significance of the aviation sector and the importance of expanding airport infrastructure.

Speaking at the conference, Mbaika mentioned, “Aviation contributes over KSh 1.2 trillion annually, supports 1.2 million jobs, and facilitates over KSh 4 trillion in tourism and trade. It connects us to more than 50 international destinations and fuels key sectors such as horticulture, manufacturing, and tourism. Investing in this project is investing in Kenya’s economic engine and unlocking sustainable growth for generations,”.

Earlier the Airport Authority announced the tender in March 2026 that briefly included the primary integrated plan for JKIA and their phased developmental approach.

In February 2026, JKIA finalised the masterplan taking 2024 as a baseline year. JKIA managed 390,000 tonnes of air cargo shipments with 71% carried by assigned freighters and the rest in passenger aircraft belly capacity. However, the plan is to double the figure of cargo capacity by 2045, which is 860,000 tonnes.

To cement the inclusive partnership in Aviation Department, Kenya Airport Authority involved Parliament of Kenya, Parliamentary Caucus on Person With disabilities (PWDs), led by Timothy Wanyonyi, MP for Westlands, along with representatives from the National Council for Persons With Disabilities at a detailed meeting that was centered around advancing airport’s infrastructure.

Now the question is, why Kenya’s Jomo's Kenyatta International Airport needs upgradation and investors?

Earlier in 2023, JKIA in Nairobi was shut down for over eight hours due to engine failure of a Singapore Airlines Cargo plane, blocking the runway for a day. The incident required the displacement of 100 tonnes of cargo and technical staff to clear the aircraft.

It was later evaluated that the chaos could have been avoided if the airport had a second runway.

Since JKIA is a key hub for the entire East Africa region, it needs heavy infrastructural investment to cater 33 million passengers and million tonnes of cargo that are expected by 2055.

The construction of a second runway at the JKIA under transformation project will likely improve the infrastructure and service quality of the airport, as mentioned by Kenya’s Airport Authority.

Jacob Bwana, Commercial Manager, Cargo at JKIA in an earlier interview with Logistics Update Africa, mentioned briefly the future plans of transformation and said, ‘The Government of Kenya, through KAA, is pushing ahead with a comprehensive modernisation and expansion of JKIA, with construction set to begin in 2026. This includes a new world-class terminal, airfield upgrades, and logistics infrastructure designed to significantly improve both passenger and cargo capacity. This initiative directly supports cargo growth, including perishable exports, by reducing congestion and improving throughout’

He added, ‘Plans include expanded cargo terminals and integrated facilities that can better handle temperature-sensitive goods and a major boost to cargo and flight movement capacity, through a second runway’.

India's multinational conglomerate Adani Group submitted a Privately Initiated Proposal (PIP) to acquire a 30-year lease agreement however, the people of Kenya including the Law Society of Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission protested against the action, which led the Kenyan Court to hold Adani's proposal.

The protest was so massive that the Kenyan Court had to release a document that said, 'Applicants (LSK and KHRC) have learned from whistleblower accounts about a plan to lease JKIA, a strategic and profitable national asset, to the Indian conglomerate Adani and its subsidiaries for 30 years. Applicants assert that Kenya can independently raise the estimated $1.85 billion or 238 billion KSh needed to expand JKIA without leasing JKIA for 30 years. Thus, the Adani proposal is unaffordable, threatens job losses, exposes the public disproportionately to fiscal risk and offers no value for money to the taxpayer'.

The decision was appreciated by the Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO) in a press statement. The association said, 'This decisive action echoes our longstanding position that the proposal, as structured, posed significant challenges to transparency, inclusivity and the strategic future of JKIA.

This article was originally published on The STAT Trade Times.