Kenya is set to engage Qatar in talks aimed at upgrading the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), President William Ruto has revealed.
In an engagement with Kenyans in Qatar, Ruto revealed that the government had pitched to the Emir of Qatar over an arrangement that could see the Middle Eastern nation take over the upgrade, renovation, and expansion of JKIA.
While announcing the news on Tuesday, November 4, Ruto disclosed that the cost of the upgrade would be Ksh200 billion, stressing the need for external financing.
“I had a conversation with the Emir today and we have put on the table what we are going to do with our airport, the national carrier, and all the other things,” he expressed.
“The kind of investment we need in our airport is possibly almost Ksh200 billion. We do not have to put our money; we have money in the private sector that can do it,” Ruto added.
He cited Qatar’s involvement in the construction of a new international airport in Rwanda, urging Kenyans to support the potential deal.
Back in 2019, the Government of Rwanda and Qatar Airways signed an investment partnership for the new airport, with three agreements to build, own, and operate the state-of-the-art facility. The deal was worth $1.3 billion (Ksh167.9 billion), with Qatar set to have a 60 per cent stake in the project.
Reporting from Reuters in August indicated the government had approached several development agencies, offering them the opportunity to finance the airport project by leveraging JKIA’s balance sheet.
The agencies contacted include the Japan International Cooperation Agency, China Exim Bank, KfW, the European Investment Bank, and the African Development Bank.
The headache of expanding JKIA has been lingering for a while, and just this month, reporting from Business Daily indicated Treasury is seeking to collect Ksh540 billion through bonds for the expansion of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and JKIA.
It remains unclear whether any of those contacted have shown interest, but the government has shown indications of issuing bonds as an alternative plan.
The latest comes after the failed Adani deal in 2024 that would have seen JKIA leased for 30 years to the Indian firm. Adani had sought to upgrade and expand JKIA under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)/concession model. The deal only came into the public limelight after whistleblower Nelson Amenya exposed it.
The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) was quoted at around Ksh238 billion, with Adani to oversee the construction of a second runway, a new passenger terminal, taxiway/apron improvements, and other city-side developments.
At the end of the 30 years, the government would take back the assets, but Adani would retain some business interest, such as an 18 per cent equity stake in the aeronautical business indefinitely in some versions of the deal.
