The Bishoftu International Airport, like GERD, places a spotlight on Africa’s capacity to plan, finance, and execute large-scale projects shaping the continent’s future on its own terms. (Photo: Reuters)
Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff
Published: January 12th, 2026
Ethiopia Celebrates Two Major Milestones
TADIAS — Ethiopia has marked two significant achievements—one already realized, the other just beginning—that reflect bold progress and forward-looking ambition.
In September 2025, the nation officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) — now the largest hydroelectric facility in Africa and a powerful symbol of collective investment and national capability. Built largely with domestic financing, including significant contributions from Ethiopians at home and abroad, GERD stretches across the Blue Nile and holds an enormous reservoir of water. Designed to generate more than 5,000 megawatts of clean, renewable power, the dam is expected to more than double Ethiopia’s electricity output and help bring reliable energy to millions of homes and businesses while supporting regional export potential. Beyond electricity, the dam’s reservoir is poised to improve water management, reduce flood risk, and contribute to agricultural irrigation systems over time.
Building on that momentum, and echoing the scale and ambition of GERD, Ethiopia on January 10, 2026 began construction of what officials describe as Africa’s biggest airport in Bishoftu, near Addis Ababa. The $12.5 billion Bishoftu International Airport project is planned as a transformative aviation hub with four runways, capacity to serve 110 million passengers annually, and ample space to park hundreds of aircraft — more than four times the passenger capacity of the existing main airport in Addis Ababa.
Current leaders have framed the airport as a key part of Ethiopia’s multi-airport strategy, aimed at future-proofing the country’s role as a leading air transport gateway for Africa. Ethiopian Airlines, the continent’s largest carrier, is leading the project’s design and initial financing — contributing about 30 percent of the cost, with international lenders and development partners expected to cover the remainder. Early earthworks are already underway, setting the stage for expanded construction through 2030.
Officials and aviation planners say the new airport will not only relieve capacity constraints at Ethiopia’s current hub but also enhance continental and global connectivity, strengthen commerce, boost tourism, and create new employment opportunities across sectors linked to air travel and logistics.
Together, GERD and the Bishoftu International Airport place a spotlight on Africa’s capacity to plan, finance, and execute large-scale projects that shape the continent’s future on its own terms.
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Related:
Ethiopia begins $12.5 billion construction of ‘Africa’s biggest airport’ (Reuters)
BISHOFTU, Ethiopia, Jan. 10, 2026 — Ethiopian Airlines officially started a $12.5 billion construction project for what officials say will be Africa’s biggest airport when completed in 2030…
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