JKIA's Terminal 1-A (photo/citizen digital)A $160 million (Sh16.5 billion) loan to Kenya for building a second runway at the main airport in Nairobi has been officially approved African Development Bank(ADB).
The second runway project at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) which currently has a single runway is expected to boost Kenya's standing as a regional travel centre.
The main national carrier, Kenya Airways ferries an estimated four million passengers a year.The international airport is also used by other global and regional carriers including but not limited to Emirates, Qatar and British Airways.The airport that started its operations in 1978 has an estimated annual passenger capacity of 2.5 million.The projected second runway and the renovation of the current terminals is expected to raise that to 12.5 million passengers to serve the country until 2023.“For a hub like Jomo Kenyatta Airport you really have to have a second runway,” James Macharia, the transport minister, told reporters earlier this month.“The one we have today is 90 capacity utilised so if we grow further you will find we will be having a jam,"he added.According to AfDB , the new runway project would constitute construction of a 4.9 km runway and associated infrastructure such as extra parking slots for aircraft and an air rescue firefighting unit.The airport is run by Kenya Airports Authority, a state body which operates the public airports in the country.