Africa

Kenya to spend $155 million of pipeline share proceeds to expand airport

The project, intended to position JKIA as a premier East African hub, will include a new terminal.

Newstimehub

Newstimehub

9 Mar, 2026

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Kenya will use 15 to 20 billion shillings (up to $155 million) from an initial public offering (IPO) of shares in Kenya Pipeline Company to expand the main Nairobi airport, President William Ruto said on Monday.

The government said last week that it had raised 106.3 billion shillings by selling a 65% stake in Kenya Pipeline Company and that proceeds would be earmarked for projects like highways, railways and ports.

It has also said that Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is operating beyond capacity and requires modernisation.

“The expansion of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport will be the first major project financed through this new model of financing under the National Infrastructure Fund,” Ruto said.

“Between 15 and 20 billion shillings from the National Infrastructure Fund, from the proceeds of the Kenya pipeline IPO will go to financing the seed money for the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.”

Kenya, last week, launched a tender for the construction of a new airport adjacent to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.

As of 2025, JKIA handled roughly 9 million passengers, above its design capacity of 7.5 million passengers annually.