China’s CCCC Lands Ksh375 Billion JKIA Upgrade Contract
The government has given China Communications Construction Company a Ksh375.4 billion ($2.9 billion) contract to upgrade and expand Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) under the newly founded National Infrastructure Fund (NIF).
The tender was awarded to the Chinese state-owned enterprise just months after President William Ruto stated that building would begin in June 2026.
This comes after the government received seed funding for the NIF through the privatization of the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC).
According to Bloomberg, the transaction represents a return to large-scale infrastructure funding involving Chinese contractors following the collapse of a prior concession arrangement with India’s Adani Group two years ago.
The Kenyan government has awarded China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC) a $2.9 billion contract to upgrade Jomo Kenyatta International Airport following the cancellation of a deal with the Adani Airports Holdings that had proposed a $1.85 billion (Sh240 billion) upgrade.… pic.twitter.com/ZucdBGI5RU— FL360aero (@fl360aero) June 11, 2026
The expansion of JKIA will follow a 20-year master plan running through 2045, which provides for phased infrastructure development, capital expenditure planning, and financial feasibility projections.
Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the contract was awarded to China Communications Construction Company, although the government has not yet made a formal public announcement on the deal.
In March this year, President Ruto stated that the government would use Ksh20 billion from the proceeds of the KPC sale as seed funding for the expansion of the 68-year-old airport.
However, it was not immediately clear how the government would finance or bridge the remaining balance of over Ksh355 billion required for the project.
Chinese firms have maintained a significant presence in Kenya’s infrastructure sector.
JKIA is critical infrastructure, not just concrete. Bloomberg says Kenya has picked CCCC for the $2.9B upgrade.
The ownership chain matters. At the top sits China state-assets regulator:
SASAC = State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of China’s State… https://t.co/oSMxN6Yi4D— Divyan Shah (@thedivyanshah) June 11, 2026
They have participated in major projects such as the Nairobi Expressway, the Rironi-Mau Summit highway, the Standard Gauge Railway, and other large-scale developments.
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According to earlier government disclosures, the expansion will be implemented in two phases aimed at increasing capacity, modernising facilities, and improving the overall passenger experience.
Phase one will focus on upgrading existing airport infrastructure, including taxiways, terminal processing areas, landside access, and digital systems.
These improvements are expected to raise JKIA’s capacity to 12 million passengers annually within 18 months.
Phase two will involve major expansion works, including the construction of a new 4,500-metre parallel runway and a 230,000-square-metre passenger terminal designed to handle an additional 10 million passengers annually.
The new terminal will feature a modern X-shaped design intended to improve passenger circulation and enhance service efficiency.
China’s CCCC Lands Ksh375 Billion JKIA Upgrade Contract
