Gov’t abandons construction of Sh56 billion Greenfield Terminal at JKIA

The government has ditched plans to construct the Greenfield terminal at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, arguing it did not make economic sense.

According to the Kenya Airports Authority, ongoing modernisation of the JKIA hub held better promise of handling the increase in passengers.

The Sh56 billion project was expected to boost passenger-handling capabilities, making the airport an international hub.

JKIA was originally built to handle 2.5 million passengers and has been stretched necessitating the need for expansion.

In 2015, the airport handled 6.5 million passengers, but the airports authority says capacity has been boosted to handle 7.5 million passengers.

The tender to construct the Greenfield terminal had been awarded to China National Aero-Technology International Engineering Corporation, but KAA did not indicate how it plans to pay off the contractor.