Kenya’s Cabinet has approved the country’s National Aviation Policy, which includes the construction of an additional terminal that would raise the annual handling capacity of Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by 20 million passengers by 2030.

The policy falls under the country’s Fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP 4) – running from 2023-2027 – which guides the final phase of the Kenya Vision 2030 masterplan.

A June 11 dispatch from the Executive Office of the President confirmed that Cabinet had approved the policy, which seeks to maximise the contribution of the aviation sector to Kenya’s growth by enhancing connectivity at both the national and international levels.

“To strengthen and improve the linkages between tourism and aviation, and to further cement Nairobi’s position as an aviation hub, the Cabinet considered and approved the National Aviation Policy,” the dispatch stated.

It highlighted that, although Cabinet viewed Kenya’s aviation sector as robust, enhancing the capacity of the country’s international airports was imperative, considering that demand was projected to rise to 42.1 million passengers a year by 2050. Following the opening of the new international 1E terminal in 2023, JKIA’s passenger capacity currently stands at 7.5 million.

Cabinet also approved the JKIA Medium Term Investment Plan, including the “upgrade of the passenger terminal, runway, taxiway, apron and airside facilities”.

The MTP 4 highlights the construction of an additional terminal, capable of handling 20 million passengers annually, as one of the public infrastructure projects that have “huge potential for generating revenue”.

The construction of the terminal would require a budget of KES120 billion (US$1 billion), with a timeline for completion of 2028.

Additional civil aviation projects and developments outlined in the MTP 4 include the upgrading of facilities in the 1E terminal to permanent status, the construction of control towers at Kisumu and Diani airports, and the installation of equipment and systems for air navigation services.