Speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), where he presided over the official opening of the five-day 2026 Industrialisation Summit, Ruto said the government had reorganised the project following challenges linked to the involvement of the Indian conglomerate.
The President maintained that construction was now progressing and insisted that Kenyans would have a new airport within the promised timeline.
“Already, the airport in Nairobi is under construction. Remember, there was a small challenge with the noise around Adani and others, but we’ve since reorganised, and now the airport is under construction. In another 18 months, you will have a new airport,” he said.
Ruto Responds to Criticism Over Nairobi Airport Construction Timeline
Ruto acknowledged that the project’s timeline had attracted public debate, with critics initially questioning whether the government could deliver the airport within the promised period.
He said some of his critics had shifted their arguments from claiming the project was impossible to accusing him of overpromising before eventually questioning whether any construction work was taking place.
“When I say 18 months, we will have a debate. We have a very interesting debate nowadays in Kenya. Some people said that it was not possible to be done. Then they changed and said this gentleman overpromised, and then they said nothing was happening,” Ruto said.
The Head of State added that the criticism had now shifted to claims that construction was underway but had fallen behind schedule by one or two months.
“That’s a good debate. There is no problem. So it was not a lie. It was not overpromised. It was not that nothing was happening. It’s just that it has not happened, or it is one month late. That we can deal with,” he said.
China Road and Bridge Corporation Awarded Sh154.2 Billion Airport Contract
The airport project is being undertaken by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), which signed a Sh154.2 billion contract with the Kenyan government in June.
The project involves constructing a new passenger terminal, modernising existing airport facilities and upgrading airside and landside infrastructure.
Lebanese-founded engineering firm Dar Al-Handasah Consultants has been appointed to supervise the engineering works and oversee the implementation of the project.
The planned upgrades are expected to improve passenger handling capacity and modernise facilities at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), which serves as Kenya’s main international aviation hub.
How the Adani Airport Deal Collapsed
The current airport project follows the cancellation of a controversial proposal by India’s Adani Group, which had sought to modernise and expand JKIA under a 30-year concession.
In 2024, the conglomerate submitted a proposal estimated at approximately Sh230 billion. The plan included constructing a second runway and a modern passenger terminal, with Adani expected to operate the airport under the proposed arrangement.
However, the proposal sparked widespread opposition, particularly from aviation workers who raised concerns about possible job losses and working conditions.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) also challenged the arrangement in court, questioning the legality and transparency of the proposed deal.
In September 2024, the High Court temporarily halted the process as the legal challenge proceeded.
Ruto Cancelled Adani Airport Proposal in November 2024
On November 21, 2024, Ruto announced the cancellation of the proposed airport deal alongside a separate Adani-linked power transmission agreement.
The decision followed information received from investigative agencies and partner countries.
The announcement came after US prosecutors indicted Adani Group founder Gautam Adani and other executives over alleged bribery involving Indian officials.
Adani denied the allegations.
The government subsequently moved forward with a different arrangement for the JKIA expansion, with CRBC now undertaking the Sh154.2 billion project.
