Zanzibar begins Sh516.73 billion Pemba Airport expansion project
Upon completion, large aircraft will be able to fly straight to Pemba Island, eliminating the need for travellers to land in Unguja first before taking small planes or boats to get there.
The Government of Zanzibar has officially begun construction work on Pemba Airport, as it seeks to bolster the island's aviation connectivity and stimulate economic growth.
Upon completion, large aircraft will be able to fly straight to Pemba Island, eliminating the need for travellers to land in Unguja first before taking small planes or boats to get there.
More To Read
- Zanzibar First Vice President Othman Masoud joins 2025 presidential race, challenges incumbent Hussein Mwinyi
- Mohammed Iqbal Dar, scholar who gave Tanzania its name, dies in UK aged 80
- Tanzania’s CCM endorses Samia and Zanzibar’s Hussein as presidential candidates for October elections
- Jamshid bin Abdullah, the last Sultan of Zanzibar, passes away at 95
- EAC pushes for resumption of DRC peace talks under Nairobi and Luanda processes
- Skyward Express introduces additional low-cost Nairobi-Mombasa flight
Zanzibar's Deputy Minister for Works, Communications and Transport, Nadir Abdulatif, made the announcement during a Parliamentary session on Tuesday, noting that groundwork for the project started in November 2024.
This followed a signing of a contract between Zanzibar and Brazil-based Propav Infrastructures on January 4, 2023, at Zanzibar State House in the presence of President Hussein Mwinyi.
According to The Citizen, Nadir added that the contractor, engineering firm Dar al Handasah Consultants, is now setting up a base to prepare for the arrival of construction material.
The project will involve major improvements to the current airport, including extending the runway, building a new passenger terminal and adding facilities to handle Code C aircraft like the Boeing 737-800.
The project is being financed through a loan facility from UK Export Finance (UKEF), valued at €170 million (approx. Sh516.73 billion).
Progress on the project was initially held up several times due to conflicts between Propav and its local partner, Mecco.
These tensions brought work to a standstill and triggered legal action that paused operations. In January 2024, the Zanzibar High Court ordered a suspension while the dispute was addressed.
The two companies later settled the matter peacefully outside of court on April 18, 2024, clearing the way for Propav to continue the project alone.
Originally designed to handle 45,000 passengers annually, Pemba Airport now accommodates 110,000 passengers each year.
The airport primarily handles domestic flights, with airlines such as As Salaam Air and Coastal Aviation operating scheduled services to and from destinations like Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, and Arusha.
Once the upgrades are completed, the expanded airport will be able to serve up to 750,000 passengers annually.
Other Topics To Read
Top Stories Today
