Rwanda today is a hub for economic development with vital investments being made within the country to support business, tourism and trade, in order to transform the lives of Rwandans in the process. A key driver of this development is Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation and Vision 2050, which sees the country focusing on infrastructure development to drive economic growth, regional integration and global connectivity. A key part of this infrastructural development surrounds the tourism industry, for which Rwanda is a hot spot, thanks to its location at the heart of the African continent. Thus, to support the continued development of Rwanda and enhance its global connectivity, a new airport, the Bugasera International Airport, is currently being developed, and once it is completed, the airport will serve as a major hub for global connectivity in Africa.
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The Bugasera International Airport is a new airport development project for Rwanda that is set to bring a new chapter to the country’s global connectivity, whilst enhancing the economic development of Rwanda through trade and tourism. The airport’s development comes following the nearby Kigali International Airport experiencing surging passenger demand, which has seen the airport operating at max capacity. Therefore, the Bugasera International Airport will help support the Kigali International Airport and offer an alternative to Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, connecting passengers more easily to the heart of the continent. Thus, once built, the Bugasera International Airport will offer a centralised alternative hub that will position the country as a major gateway into East Africa and function as a catalyst for economic growth, tourism, and development in Rwanda.
The original foundations of the Bugasera International Airport development began in 2016, when the Government of Rwanda signed an agreement with Mota-Engil to fund, build and operate the airport for a period of 25 years under concession from the government. As part of the agreement, Mota Engil agreed to provide $418 million to deliver the first phase of construction and commercial options. However, the initial plans for a single paved runway changed during the second phase of the construction, and then a second runway was built. Following this, TPS Consult PLC were commissioned to carry out a feasibility study to design the new airport.
By August 2017, construction began on the second phase of the development, costing US$828 million, in which Mota-Engil’s subsidiary Mota-Engil Africa was the main contractor and provided 75% of the funding. Completion of the first phase was expected in 2019; however, the construction was halted to make way for a redesign. By December 2019, Qatar Airways had signed an agreement to take a 60% stake in the airport development and would continue the project with a budget of US$1.31 billion, which now encompasses a much larger airport development design. Therefore, the Bugasera International Airport will be developed in cooperation with the Government of Rwanda, and largely through foreign investment, as part of a public-private partnership with Qatar Airways.
As of 2025, the first phase of the development is 20-30% completed, with foundational work in place. The development is now focused on vertical building, and once the first phase is completed, the airport is planned to accommodate 7 million passengers a year, increasing to 14 million once the second phase of the development is completed.
The Bugesera International Airport is expected to be operational by 2032, where it is planned to provide a world-class gateway for Kigali and Rwanda. The finished airport will have a 3,750-meter runway, a modern terminal building, a presidential terminal for VIPs, as well as an office building for stakeholders and all the necessary infrastructure needed to support the airport’s operations every day. Alongside its passenger facilities, the airport will also have a dedicated cargo terminal, which will be capable of handling 150,000 tonnes of cargo per annum.
Beyond the airport’s infrastructure, the entire project is designed to help make transport across the continent more reliable and efficient, driving economic growth, regional integration and global connectivity. Plus, with more than 6,000 jobs expected to be created throughout the construction project alone, and thousands more once completed, the development will be vital for the local socio-economic development of Rwanda, offering vital employment opportunities within the local community. Therefore, as an enabler for Rwanda’s tourism, the airport will continue to give back to the country and help it achieve its infrastructural development goals to better the lives of those across the country.
One of the most vital aspects of the Bugesera International Airport is that the entire development has been designed with sustainability in mind. The airport is being built as a net-zero complex, integrating advanced energy and water efficiency measures, as well as solar power, to enhance its environmental impact. In fact, the airport will be powered in part by Rwanda’s share in the Rusumo Hydroelectric Power Station, located at the border of Rwanda and Tanzania. The feed of renewable electrical power aims to help minimise environmental impacts whilst maximising the operational efficiency of the airport. The implementation of green initiatives across the airport and its development aims to position the airport to become the first certified green airport. This certification, and its range of sustainable initiatives, aims to help attract environmentally conscious investors, airlines and travellers, which will give the airport a competitive edge in the global aviation market.
Overall, the Bugesera International Airport is a vital and expansive development that is set to enhance Rwanda’s connectivity not just across the continent, but across the world. With each aspect of the airport designed to promote tourism and deliver continued economic development for Rwanda, the development will play a key role in helping the country reach its National Strategy for Transformation and Vision 2050 goals. The airport will significantly support the local community, offering vital jobs for socio-economic benefits, whilst also working to cut emissions and deliver it as a sustainability-backed airport for the future. We look forward to seeing how the development continues to progress and the role it will play in enhancing Rwanda’s tourism sector once operational.
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