Building connections: How Mogadishu’s new airport could transform Somalia’s presence in Africa’s aviation sector
The end of June saw the foundation stone being laid for a new airport in Mogadishu.
The development of a new greenfield airport located in the Mahay area near Mogadishu…
July 16, 2025
The end of June saw the foundation stone being laid for a new airport in Mogadishu.
The development of a new greenfield airport located in the Mahay area near Mogadishu signals a transformative milestone for Somalia. As the country emerges from decades of conflict and instability, modern infrastructure projects such as the new airport not only serve as symbols of progress, but also as catalysts for growth.
At a groundbreaking ceremony held at the end of June, Dr. Hassan S Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia laid the foundation stone for the new airport. Speaking at the ceremony, he said the airport was a “gateway to Somalia’s future.”
Meanwhile, in a statement on X, Somali’s Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) described the airport as a “bold, visionary leap that marks an aviation and air-transport revolution transforming Somali skies into hubs of connectivity, igniting economic momentum and opening gateways for our youth.”
The SCAA also said the new airport marks: “A momentous milestone in our national resurgence-building more than an airport: forging a legacy of modern infrastructure and global integration.”
The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, His Excellency Dr. @HassanSMohamud laid the foundation stone for the New Mogadishu International Airport in the strategically pivotal Mahay area. This bold, visionary leap marks an aviation and air‑transport revolution 1/2
— Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) (@Som_CAA) June 30, 2025
The new airport, which reports have suggested will cost between US$800 million and US$1 billion, is currently slated for completion by the end of the decade. The airport was first announced in late 2024 as a flagship project of Mohamud’s administration.
Once complete, the new airport will relieve pressure on Mogadishu’s existing air transport hub, Aden Adde International Airport. Airlines currently serving the airport, which features one terminal catering for both domestic and international traffic, include Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Somali Airlines and Qatar Airways.
Why the new airport heralds a new dawn for Somalia
As well as providing an upgraded, modern airport to accommodate growth in passenger and cargo traffic, the new airport will also help to position Mogadishu as a regional transport hub in East Africa.
With Somalia’s road transport sector often cited as one of the poorest in East Africa, the country which spans some 246,000 m2 and those living in it, will benefit hugely from modernised airport infrastructure and improved air transport links. The development of a new airport would also help propel Somali’s integration into regional and global economies, strengthening ties with international destinations.
Somalia occupies a geographically strategic position in the ‘Horn of Africa’, along major air and trade routes between Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Competition from neighbouring African countries
Elsewhere in East Africa, construction is already underway for the new Bugesera Airport in Rwanda, which is located just outside the capital, Kigali. Phase one is expected to accommodate up to 8 million passengers annually, while phase two will double capacity to around 14 million passengers per year. Qatar Airways holds a 60% stake in the project.
Meanwhile, in Ethiopia which borders Somalia, plans are afoot for a new mega-hub 40km southeast of Addis Ababa in Bishoftu. The airport is being designed with four runways and the ability to handle up to 100 million passengers when complete, which is expected to be around 2040.
Kenya, which also borders Somalia, is also planning a new terminal adjacent to existing facilities at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The new facility is designed to accommodate an additional 20 million passengers annually.
