• Rwandan government to inject new funds into delayed Bugesera Airport project
• Allocation included in 2025/2026 budget to help meet new 2027 launch target
• Airport aims to handle up to 14 million passengers by 2032

The Rwandan government is preparing to restart construction of Bugesera Airport with fresh funding from the 2025/2026 national budget. The project, located about 25 km south of Kigali, has faced repeated delays due to planning changes, funding issues, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The funding, whose value has not been disclosed, is part of a broader national budget of over 7,000 billion Rwandan francs ($485.4 million). It is intended to keep construction on track for a revised 2027 launch, according to a government schedule released in May 2024.

Originally launched in 2017, the airport is being developed in two phases. Once phase one is complete, the facility is expected to serve 7 million passengers annually. Phase two, set to finish in 2032, will expand total capacity to 14 million passengers per year. The site will also include a cargo terminal with a capacity of 150,000 tons per year.

The full project is valued at nearly $2 billion and is part of Rwanda's strategy to position itself as the second aviation hub in East Africa, behind Ethiopia. Qatar Airways, which holds a 60% stake in RwandAir, is a key partner in the airport’s development and is expected to help increase passenger traffic once operations begin.

Rwanda is also seeking a $200 million loan from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to help finance the project.