Ethiopian Airlines marks 80yrs with groundbreaking construction of Bishoftu International Airport

Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest airline in Africa, has announced the official construction commencement of Bishoftu International Airport.

Construction has begun January 10, 2026, following an official groundbreaking ceremony. The historic event was graced by Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, ministers, high-level government officials, industry leaders, stakeholders, and Ethiopian Airlines executives.

Ethiopian also unveiled the airport’s design and highlighted the successful completion of the resettlement and livelihood restoration project for the affected communities of the project area. Abiy Ahmed, F.D.R.E. Prime Minister, alongside high-level government officials, and Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, placed the plaque marking the official commencement of the construction.

Reflecting on the groundbreaking ceremony, Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, remarked: “This is truly a proud moment for Ethiopian Airlines and for all of Africa. We are embarking on a new chapter with the groundbreaking of Bishoftu International Airport that will redefine the continent’s aviation ecosystem.

Related News

“As we celebrate 80 years of service, this project stands as yet another milestone, underscoring our commitment to shaping the future of the African air transport industry, while supporting the growing demand for our passenger and cargo services. Bishoftu International Airport is a major step towards addressing the infrastructural gap in Africa and a key player in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and at Ethiopian, we are committed to realising the completion of this project.”

In his remarks, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the day as a milestone in Ethiopia’s journey toward modernisation and prosperity.

He noted that Ethiopian Airlines is a source of national pride, not because it has been free of challenges, but because of its resilience, its ability to overcome obstacles, and its role as a trailblazer for Africa.

He emphasised that the airline’s greatest strength lies in its strong corporate culture, built on: Giving priority to safety and security, leadership driven by creativity and hard work, a workforce of over 26,000 employees who believe in the airline as their flag carrier and honour what it represents, and a continuous commitment to learning and capacity building.

Phase One of Bishoftu International Airport is expected to be completed by 2030 and will accommodate 60 million passengers annually, and when fully completed, it will have the capacity to handle 110 million passengers.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.