Ethiopia is building a $12.5 billion airport outside Addis Ababa and calling it the biggest aviation project in African history.

Bishoftu International Airport broke ground in January, about 45 kilometres from the capital. Ethiopian Airlines is leading it. The endgame is four runways, parking for 270 planes and 110 million passengers a year more than four times what Bole can handle, and in the same league as the world’s busiest airports.

That full size comes later. Phase one is aimed at 2030: two runways and a 660,000-square-metre terminal for about 60 million passengers. Cargo is part of the plan too, with a long-term target of 3.7 million tonnes a year.

The reason is simple. Bole is running out of space, and the city around it leaves little room to grow. Bishoftu sits lower, which should let planes take off heavier and fly farther. That’s how Ethiopia wants to compete with Dubai, Doha and Istanbul for connecting traffic.

Earthworks are already underway. The airline says it will put up about 30 percent of the cost. The rest close to $9 billion still has to come from lenders. The bill has already climbed from $10 billion. Farming communities have also been moved off the land.

If it gets built on time, rival hubs in the region will feel it. #Ethiopia