Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has announced a major plan to modernize Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Wilson Airport following the collapse of a controversial bid to hand over JKIA operations to India’s Adani Group.
The move comes as Kenya faces mounting pressure to improve its aviation infrastructure amid rising safety concerns and growing competition from regional hubs. Both JKIA and Wilson have been grappling with aging facilities, chronic congestion, and years of stalled expansion.
JKIA, the country’s primary international gateway, is operating beyond capacity, while Wilson—one of Africa’s busiest domestic airports—struggles with leaking roofs, outdated runways, and limited space for growth.
“We want to put up a state-of-the-art facility that represents Kenya’s economic strength and the growth we envision,” said KAA Chair Caleb Kositany, while unveiling the new modernization strategy. He, however, did not disclose the project’s funding model.
Under the new plan, KAA will expand runways, improve drainage and taxiways, and construct modern operational centers at both airports. At Wilson, the focus will be on rehabilitating its two main runways to enhance safety and reduce congestion, which has worsened with increasing airline traffic.
“So, at the moment I can say that at Wilson Airport the passenger experience is not up to international standards,” said Winnie Nafula, a board member of the Kenya Association of Air Operators. “With the rehabilitation, we are hoping the same quality facilities we have at JKIA will be replicated at Wilson.”
The plan also addresses long-standing safety concerns, including unauthorized high-rise buildings that have encroached on flight paths. Aviation stakeholders have urged the government to enforce zoning laws to reclaim protected airspace and mitigate risks for incoming and outgoing aircraft.
Kositany emphasized that the upgrades are necessary to meet rising domestic demand. “More and more airlines are operating out of Wilson Airport, so of course there’s a constraint. The rehabilitation will help reduce the congestion currently being faced by most operators,” he said.
Public consultations are underway under a strategic environmental and social impact assessment to align the upgrades with sustainability and operational efficiency standards.
The modernization plan comes as JKIA risks losing its competitive edge to regional rivals in Addis Ababa and Kigali, which have aggressively expanded their airport facilities. JKIA has suffered repeated delays to its planned new terminal and has relied on patchwork repairs to sustain operations.
Kositany signaled a new approach focused on practical execution and accountability: “The critical infrastructure upgrade is aimed at enhancing operational safety, efficiency, and capacity for the busiest domestic hubs in East Africa.”
Procurement and design work for the upgrades is expected to begin in the coming months, marking what KAA hopes will be a turning point after years of stalled projects and failed partnerships.