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Kenya has awarded a USD 2.9 billion contract to China Communications Construction Co (CCCC) for the expansion and modernisation of Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), reviving a major infrastructure project nearly two years after a proposed agreement with the Adani Group was cancelled. The project, which forms part of a long-term airport development strategy extending to 2045, will include upgrades to runways, passenger terminals, aircraft parking areas, access roads and support infrastructure. The contract value is significantly higher than the approximately USD 2 billion airport concession previously proposed by Adani. The development follows Kenya's decision to adopt a new procurement and financing framework after political opposition and legal challenges led to the termination of the earlier proposal in 2024.
Kenya has awarded a USD 2.9 billion contract to China Communications Construction Co (CCCC) to expand and modernise Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), advancing a long-pending infrastructure project that was previously linked to the Adani Group before being cancelled in 2024.
The contract, awarded in the past week, is valued at around 50% more than the approximately USD 2 billion concession proposal that had earlier been under discussion with the Adani Group. The new agreement signals Kenya's return to large-scale infrastructure development backed by Chinese contractors after the earlier plan was abandoned.
The airport modernisation programme is part of JKIA's 20-year master plan extending to 2045 and is intended to address growing passenger traffic and capacity constraints at Kenya's primary international gateway. According to the Kenyan government, the airport handled nearly 9 million passengers in 2025, exceeding its designed annual capacity of approximately 7.5 million passengers.
Under the project, CCCC will undertake a broad range of infrastructure upgrades, including improvements to runway facilities, passenger terminals, aircraft stands, airport access roads and associated support infrastructure. The works are aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening Nairobi's position as a regional aviation hub serving East Africa.
Kenya had previously engaged with the Adani Group regarding the airport's redevelopment. Discussions progressed for several months before the proposal became the subject of political debate and public scrutiny within the country. Critics questioned aspects of the concession structure and the transparency of the proposed arrangement, leading to legal challenges and increasing pressure on President William Ruto's administration.
The government subsequently cancelled the proposed Adani transaction in November 2024. The decision came amid growing domestic opposition and international attention following allegations raised by the United States Department of Justice concerning the Adani Group. The conglomerate denied the allegations. According to the report, the matter was subsequently closed by the US Department of Justice, which cited a lack of conclusive evidence.
Following the cancellation, Kenya initiated a fresh procurement process and adopted a government-backed financing model for the airport expansion. President William Ruto has repeatedly identified the modernisation of JKIA as a strategic national infrastructure priority and an important component of the country's broader economic development agenda.
The award also reinforces China's continuing role in Kenya's infrastructure sector. China Communications Construction Co and its affiliated entities have been involved in several major transport projects across the country, including the Nairobi Expressway and the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway.
For the aviation sector, the airport expansion is expected to address capacity limitations and support future passenger growth. As air traffic across East Africa continues to increase, the redevelopment of JKIA is viewed as a key infrastructure project aimed at improving connectivity, operational capability and regional competitiveness within the aviation market.
Source - PTI
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