KAA receives Sh480 million for airport expansion

Kenya Airports Authority has received Sh480 million for the ongoing expansion and modernisation of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.

The grant from European Investment Bank will help minimise disruptions at JKIA during repairs of terminals and arrival halls.

The JKIA project has been funded by the bank and French Development Agency (AFD) and have earmarked an additional $93 million (Sh7.4 billion) each for the task.

The airports authority has also received loans worth $34 million (Sh2.7 billion) from the World Bank towards this project and injected Sh9 billion from its own coffers.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at the airport yesterday, EIB’s vice president, Mr Plutarchos Sakellaris, said the financing of the airport is part of the bank’s strategy of investing in infrastructure on the continent.

In the last five years, the bank has funded projects worth over $1 billion in Africa with the majority, over 50 per cent including in Kenya, being in the energy sector.

The project began over three years ago with the first phase having been completed in 2008 at a cost of $40 million (Sh3.2 billion).

In September last year, Kenya Airports Authority awarded the tender to build the second phase of JKIA to China National Aero-Technology International Engineering Company (CATIC).

The China-based company was expected to begin construction of the new terminal four and a multi story car park last year and complete the project in 21 months.

However, the project has yet to begin, but the management says it will begin in a couple of weeks.

Phase two, which will see JKIA boast a new terminal and parking space increased with the construction of a three storey car park to accommodate 1,500 cars, is expected to cost about Sh7.6 billion ($95 million).

The third phase, expected to cost a similar amount, will involve the expansion and renovation of the existing terminals with the construction of another floor that will enable the separation of incoming and outgoing passengers.

Tendering for this phase has yet to be done. Phase four, to cost $48 million, will see the pavements rehabilitated as well as the upgrading of the instrument landing system and additional taxi ways to improve on runway capacity.

The new airport upgrade was expected to see JKIA handle 10 million passengers by 2024.

This was, however, revised to 2018 following the growth of Nairobi as a hub and the expansion of national carrier—Kenya Airways in the region.