Ethiopia is boldly promoting global aviation with its US$7 billion airport project, strengthening its position as Africa's premier aviation hub. As Ethiopian Airlines expands its fleet, routes and strategic partnerships, the country is shaping the future of air travel on the continent.
Ethiopia's ambitious plan to develop Africa's largest airport confirms its long-term sustainability strategy and its status as a continental aviation leader.
Industry analysts believe the new airport will secure its position as Ethiopia's premier aviation hub. “The new airport means that Ethiopia will remain an important connection destination for many travelers,” said Mersi Ayew, a business expert and aviation analyst at Travel and Tour World.
“The new hub will significantly improve accessibility from key markets such as Saudi Arabia, the UK, the US and India. The broad effect means that Ethiopia will be positioned as the best destination in Africa, in addition to expanding the region's global reach,” explained Ayew.
“The decision to advance this enormous infrastructure investment highlights the financial stability of Ethiopian Airlines and its vision for sustainable growth in the industry, which has seen many challenges,” he added.
A press conference statement by Ethiopia's Ministry of Finance on Saturday, March 15th explained that Ethiopian Airlines Group has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with the African Development Bank (AFDB) to establish a partnership for a new project, estimated at US$7.8 billion.
“The new mega airport will increase its annual passenger capacity from 17 million to over 60 million by 2040. It will not only promote Ethiopia's economic development, but also strengthen the connection and integration of the global atmosphere of Africa,” the statement reads in part.
The African aviation industry has experienced a steady increase in travel demand. By 2050, 45% of all African passengers will come from the international segment and 46% by 2052, according to ACI World Airport's traffic forecast.
ACI predicts that air traffic in Africa will be doubling 261 million by 2025 and double by 2040. More than US$32 billion will be needed to meet this demand, with about 40% allocated to the new Greenfield Airport.
State-owned Ethiopian Airlines is at the forefront of meeting these requirements. Due to the exponential growth of the airline, Addis Abababore International Airport, the current central hub, is already exceeding its operational capacity.
The latest airport traffic from OAG Airlines, highlighting last year's travel traffic, shows fewer than 200,000 passengers who separated South Africa or Tambo (12.7 million passengers) and Addis Ababa (12.1 million) in 2024.
OAG expects Addis' Bole International Airport to be driven by the ever-growing ambitions of flagship airline Ethiopian Airlines this year.
Ethiopian infrastructure ambitions are complemented by Ethiopian Airlines' aggressive expansion strategy, spanning modernisation of the fleet, new routes and strategic partnerships.
The airline has recently introduced the Boeing 737-800 business jet to its VIP charter service, targeting high-end travelers and diplomatic missions, enhancing its premium service offerings. This move is in line with the goal of “diversifying revenue streams while maintaining premium service delivery.”
The Ethiopian airline was the first African airline to introduce the Airbus A350-900 XWB, and later introduced the A350-1000 (the wide body version of Airbus), strengthening its commitment to running a modern, fuel-efficient fleet.
Additionally, airlines continue to expand their networks, including the recent routes to Abu Dhabi (starting in July 2025) and other additions to Athens, Karachi and Copenhagen, as well as the increasing frequency of popular routes such as daily flights to Ougadugou and Konakree.
According to Avionews, Ethiopian Airlines is preparing to strengthen its European network by introducing new ties to Porto, Portugal, through extended routing of its existing Addis Ababa-Madrid service.
The airline reportedly announced the development last week, confirming that the new service is expected to launch on July 2, 2025.
Strategic collaboration further strengthens Ethiopian Airlines' growth trajectory. The recent partnership with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a prime example of airlines using partnerships to strengthen their African footprint to launch Air Congo.
Ethiopian Airlines currently co-owns a 49% stake in Air Congo, ensuring that the brand's presence is strong in one of the largest markets on the continent. The initiative is expected to increase air travel within Africa. This is a segment with limited connectivity and high operating costs.
Ethiopian Airlines' Vision 2035 plan is to rise among the top 20 global aviation groups. Certain goals include reaching US$25 billion in annual revenue, handling 1.3 million tonnes of cargo and serving 67 million passengers at 207 international destinations.
Boniface Orucho, Bird Story Agency
