Wilson Airport, Kenya’s busiest domestic aviation hub, is set for a sweeping overhaul following government plans to construct an entirely new passenger terminal alongside critical runway upgrades. Aviation and Aerospace Development Principal Secretary Teresia Mbaika confirmed the ambitious programme, pointing to ageing infrastructure and escalating safety concerns as the key drivers behind the decision to act. The modernisation push signals a renewed commitment to improving the quality and capacity of domestic air travel across the country.
On the runways, two major projects are already in the pipeline. Runway 07/25 will be fully resurfaced, while the longer Runway 14/32 will receive more comprehensive treatment — widening, structural strengthening, and an extension of its overall length. The Kenya Airports Authority has also secured funding for the rehabilitation of existing taxiways and the construction of additional ones, alongside repairs to deteriorating aircraft parking aprons that have suffered sustained damage from years of heavy use.
Perhaps the most urgent aspect of the upgrade is the replacement of the airport’s ageing terminal building. When it was originally constructed, the facility was designed to handle approximately 20,000 passengers per year. Today, Wilson Airport serves close to 800,000 travellers annually — nearly forty times that figure — leaving the terminal chronically overcrowded and wholly inadequate for modern aviation demands. A comprehensive long-term master plan for the airport’s expansion is currently in its final stages of preparation, authorities confirmed.
Safety concerns form a central part of the case for urgent action. Authorities have raised the alarm over high-rise buildings in neighbourhoods surrounding the airport that have begun encroaching on protected flight paths. Developments in South C, Nairobi West, and Lang’ata have crept into airspace corridors that regulations require to be kept clear for safe aircraft operations. Some of these structures have already breached approved height limits, raising genuine concerns about the safety of aircraft operating into and out of Wilson.
Although core safety systems at the airport remain operational, the government has made clear it will pursue regulatory action against any developments found to violate aviation safety requirements. Officials stressed that unregulated construction in the airport’s vicinity cannot be permitted to continue unchecked. The combination of physical infrastructure upgrades and stricter enforcement on the ground, they argued, will be essential to protecting Wilson Airport’s role as the backbone of Kenya’s domestic aviation network for years to come.
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