New Bugesera International Airport (NBIA) (to open in 2016)

From mid 2000s, Kigali Kanombe recorded an important growth of its passenger trafic. In the first time, the Governemment planned to expand Kanombe, but this later is located in the surbub and due to the lack of space, it can’t be expanded.

 In 2008, the governement of Rwanda decided to build a bigger airport to meet the demand. After a first study in patnership with OZ Architecture (USA), the airport will be located in th Bugesera District, at approximately 24 kilometres (15 mi), by air, south of Kigali.

In 2009, design works start with TPS UK, which built the Terminal 5 at London Heathrow. In the same time, the governement announces that the funding of the project will be via a PPP (Public-Private Partnerships ) and hires PricewaterhouseCoopers as transaction advisor to mobilize the private capital to invest in the project. 

After faced off several delays mainly due to the downgrade of the budget but also to the lack fund, works should start before the end of the year, with the first flight by 2016 or 2017.

16/04/2013 :

Rwanda refutes Contract to Chinese Firm to Build Bugesera Airport : HERE

The airport is designed to handle 450 passengers per peak hour and over 1 million annually during its first phase. It will have the capacity to handle 15,500 tonnes of cargo annually with eight flight movement per hour during peak hours.