Ethiopia is set to become home to Africa's largest airport, with the signing of an agreement for the design of a new four-runway facility near Bishoftu, just outside the capital Addis Ababa.
The ambitious project, announced in 2018, is expected to be operational by 2029 and will boast a capacity of 100 million passengers annually, surpassing all existing African airports.
"This is a five-year project that will be the biggest in Africa," stated Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest airline.
He added, "Phase one alone will cost at least $6 billion... The money will come through loans, and there are already companies that already showed interest."
Dubai-based engineering firm Sidara will lead the design process of the new airport, which will also offer parking space for 270 aircraft.