ADDIS ABABA, Feb 10 – Ethiopian Airlines has received expressions of interest from 35 internationally renowned construction firms for Phase II of its Bishoftu International Airport (BIA) project, the carrier announced on Tuesday.
The submissions follow presentations by the airline to prospective contractors, highlighting strong global attention on one of Africa’s most ambitious aviation infrastructure initiatives.
Bishoftu International Airport, located about 40 kilometres southeast of the capital Addis Ababa, is being developed to relieve pressure on the city’s existing Bole International Airport, which is approaching its expanded capacity of roughly 25 million passengers annually.
Designed as a multi-phase greenfield facility, BIA is planned to feature multiple terminals, parallel runways, and modern infrastructure capable of handling up to 60 million passengers annually in its first phase, with potential expansion to serve more than 100 million passengers in later phases.
Phase II will involve building terminals, support infrastructure, and other essential facilities to enhance the airport’s capacity and efficiency, after groundwork and site preparation are completed.
In a press conference on the carrier’s first-half results for Ethiopia’s 2025/26 fiscal year, Mesfin Tasew, the airline’s group chief executive for the past three years, told reporters that Phase II follows the completion of Phase I, which was inaugurated in January in the presence of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD).
He added that the contractor shortlist will be finalised within the next ten days based on several criteria ahead of the auction process. The auction documents are expected to be released on March 3, following the completion of the airport’s design this month. Mesfin said that up to four firms are expected to be selected for the next stage, with contracts to be awarded in August.
The airline did not reveal which firms had expressed interest in the project.
Africa’s flagship carrier reported $4.4 billion in revenue in the first half of its fiscal year, surpassing its target by two percent and rising 14 percent compared with the same period last year. The airline transported 10.64 million passengers and launched three new international routes, Porto in Portugal, Hanoi in Vietnam, and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, bringing the total number of international destinations to more than 145.
The airline also added seven aircraft in the first half of the fiscal year, bringing its total fleet to 147.
