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The Government of Rwanda has signed a public-private partnership (PPP) contract with Portugal-based construction firm Mota-Engil in order to carry out the new Bugesera International Airport project. 

The new airport, which will be located in southeastern Rwanda, in Bugesera District, near the town of Nyamata, aims to leverage the tourism sector in the country. The new airport will become Rwanda’s largest International Airport, serving commercial flights destined to and from the greater Kigali metropolitan area and act as a hub for Rwandair’s growth strategy and commercial airlines serving the region.

It is expected to cost around US$818 million with the first phase of construction works starting by June next year and the completion scheduled by December 2018. 

Mota-Engil will design, build, finance, operate and maintain (DBFOM) the project through a 25-year concession contract, with an optional extension of 15 years. 

The first phase of the project, with an estimated cost of US$418 million, envisages the construction of new passenger and cargo terminals as well as a 4.2-km runway for large commercial airplanes. The second phase, valued at US$400 million, would comprise a second runway and more terminals for additional capacity.

While the existing airport has a current capacity of 1.6 million passengers per year, the new projected Bugesera International Airport will have a capacity of 4.5 million passengers per year once completed.

According to sources, James Musoni, Rwanda's minister for infrastructure, said:

"Bugesera International Airport is coming in at the time when it is badly needed because we all know that the current airport capacity is not matching the growth of our traffic in terms of aircrafts, in terms of passengers," James Musoni, Rwanda's minister for infrastructure."