By Faridat Salifu
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has planned to mobilise USD 7.8 billion for Ethiopia’s Bishoftu International Airport, but the project’s environmental footprint and resettlement impacts are drawing increasing attention.
The airport, designed to handle 100 million passengers annually, will be built on 35 square kilometres of farmland in the Bishoftu area of Oromia Regional State, requiring the displacement of around 2,500 farming households.
Ethiopian Airlines has allocated 30 billion Birr for land preparation, with more than half earmarked for compensation and development works linked to resettlement, raising concerns about livelihood restoration and social cohesion.
Environmental specialists warn that converting such a large expanse of agricultural land to aviation infrastructure could have long-term implications for biodiversity, local climate patterns, and water resources.
The project site lies near water catchments that feed into Lake Bishoftu and surrounding wetlands, ecosystems that could face increased pressure from construction runoff, waste generation, and altered drainage patterns.
The airport city’s four parallel runways, hangars, cargo terminals, and railway connection to Addis Ababa will require extensive land clearing and soil excavation, potentially leading to erosion and dust pollution during the multi-year build.
Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tasew says environmental compliance will be prioritised, with Dar Al-Handasah overseeing design specifications that meet “international environmental and safety standards.”
However, no Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) findings have yet been made public, and local community advocates are urging the Ministry of Finance to release baseline environmental studies before major financing is finalised.
Climate analysts note that the airport’s operations could significantly increase Ethiopia’s aviation-related greenhouse gas emissions, potentially offsetting gains made in other sectors under the country’s Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy.
Construction of the airport will also generate high volumes of concrete and asphalt demand, adding to industrial emissions and resource extraction pressures in nearby quarry zones.
AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina has described the project as a “flagship African infrastructure milestone,” but environmental groups are calling for stronger sustainability safeguards and transparent monitoring mechanisms.
The first phase of the airport is expected to serve 60 million passengers annually, with full operations projected by 2028, marking Ethiopia’s most ambitious aviation expansion to date.
