In a discussion at the Qatar Economic Forum held on May 15, 2024, Makolo stated that the construction work is ongoing.
“Construction is already in progress. We’re about to finalise the horizontal works and move to the vertical. We’re looking [at] between 2027 and 2028 in terms of the airport being operational,” said Makolo.
Construction of the airport was initiated by the Government of Rwanda in 2017. It was initially slated for completion in 2024. The following year, Qatar Airways expressed interest in investing in the project, leading to an expanded plan aiming for completion in 2026 at a cost of US$2 billion.
Jules Ndanga, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviation Travel & Logistics (ATL), a Rwandan government agency overseeing aviation and tourism-related activities, recently disclosed that Qatar Airways holds a 60% stake in this project, with Rwanda holding the remaining 40%.
He stated, “They now hold 60%, while the Rwandan Government holds 40%. The airport we originally planned to build, which was part of our pledge, was estimated at 400 million Rwandan Francs. Currently, when you add everything together, the cost reaches 2 billion dollars.”
The CEO of Qatar Airways, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, explained on May 15 that the construction of the airport faced challenges, including delays in the delivery of materials to the construction site.
He however explained that a meeting is scheduled for next week to finalize the construction contract and reaffirmed anticipated completion of the airport in 2027.
Meer announced that Bugesera International Airport will resemble the Hamad International Airport located in Doha, covering an area of over 36 square kilometers.
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