Aviation : Ethiopian Airlines, AfDB Sign Airport Deal

Ethiopian Airlines has signed a landmark agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB), for the construction of Africa’s largest airport. The parties signed a letter of intent for the partnership to construct the facility on March 14, 2025, Ethiopia’s Finance Ministry Ahmed Shide said in a statement Saturday, without disclosing the amount that the AfDB will provide for the project. Empower Africa reports that the ambitious $7.8 billion project aims to dramatically scale up Ethiopia’s aviation capacity, to handle 60 million passengers annually by 2040, up from the current 17 million. 
The memorandum of understanding (MoU), was signed by Mr. Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, and Mrs. Nnenna Nwabufo, Vice President for Regional Development, Integration, and Strategy at AfDB. The new airport will be constructed in Abusera, near Bishoftu, in Ethiopia’s Oromia region. Ethiopia’s Finance Minister Ahmed Shide welcomed the deal, highlighting the AfDB’s broader financial support, which includes $1.2 billion in investments toward key development initiatives. AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina praised Ethiopia’s robust economic performance, citing 8.1% GDP growth over the past year and Addis Ababa’s rapid development under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD). He called the Bishoftu International Airport a flagship infrastructure project for Africa, r...