President William Ruto has announced plans for the modernization of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and the construction of a new airport beginning in 2026, a move he assures will significantly strengthen Kenya’s infrastructure and speed up economic transformation.
Speaking during the contract signing ceremony for the Matuga Clinker Line on Tuesday 16, 2025, in Nairobi County, the president said that the aviation infrastructure would play an important role in positioning the country as a regional logistics and transport hub.
“We are going to have Sh5 trillion investment in logistics, transport, energy and irrigation,” the president said, emphasizing on the government’s move in prioritizing infrastructure as a catalyst for growth.
Explaining further, he said that the airport projects are part of a broader national economic blueprint that is aimed at unlocking productivity, supporting industrial development and reducing dependency on imports.
“Allow me to situate today’s context within a broader 5 trillion bold national ambition to take Kenya to a first-world economy, which we have unveiled as a pathway to achieving Kenya’s economic freedom,” he stated.
According to the Head of State, the modernization of JKIA will improve passenger experience, cargo handling and operational efficiency significantly, while the construction of a new airport will help in reducing congestion and accommodate the growing demand for air travel, tourism and trade. He emphasized that Kenya’s geographical position makes aviation a strategic asset for both regional and international connectivity.
The president assured Kenyans of the government’s preparedness stating that the groundwork for the projects have already been laid to ensure the projects move forward without any delays.
“That will include modernization of JKIA and the development of a new airport is going to happen next year. We have already consolidated the framework that is going to allow us to do that,” he said.
President Ruto also emphasized that infrastructure development must align with expanded energy generation to support industries and major projects. “We have to expand the generation of energy. That’s where I want the country to move together and to achieve,” the president added, calling on all Kenyan citizens to exercise national unity in support of the development agenda.
The Head of State concluded by saying that the massive infrastructure investments are guided by a clear objective of transforming the country into a productive, industrialized economy which will not only aid in creating jobs but also improve livelihoods of the Kenyan citizens.
