CRBC Wins Sh154bn JKIA Deal After Adani Fallout

China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) has secured a Sh154 billion contract to modernise Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, taking over a project that has already been through political fire, cancelled mega-deals, and court battles.

The deal, signed in Nairobi on June 23, comes barely a year after the collapse of a Sh260 billion concession proposal linked to India’s Adani Group, which had sparked political tension, legal challenges and public backlash before being cancelled in November 2024. 

The first phase of the JKIA Modernization Project will deliver a new passenger terminal, facility upgrades, and airside and landside improvements to reduce congestion and improve efficiency. 

“The project scope includes the construction of a new terminal building…the modernisation and upgrading of existing infrastructure, the improvement of airside and landside operations, and the enhancement of overall operational efficiency,” Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said.

JKIA handled nearly nine million passengers in 2025 against a capacity of 7.5 million, a shortfall officials say is increasingly pressing as Nairobi positions itself as a regional aviation hub.

A new runway has been pushed to a later phase under the broader 2045 master plan.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the procurement process leading to CRBC’s award has been underway for three months, following the completion of the JKIA Master Plan in February 2026. More than 40 firms participated in a pre-bid conference in April.

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But even as the government moves to position the project as a breakthrough moment, it is once again heading into legal turbulence.

The Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) has filed a High Court petition seeking to suspend the project entirely. The group says the project lacks transparency particularly around financing arrangements, contractual obligations and beneficial ownership structures.

The government, however, insists the procurement followed the law, saying it remains committed to accountability while pushing ahead with what it sees as a critical upgrade for Kenya’s aviation future.

The award of the JKIA modernisation contract to CRBC has entrenched the Chinese company’s grip on Kenyan infrastructure, adding to other mega projects such as Nairobi Expressway and the Standard Gauge Railway, both defining pieces of Kenya’s recent infrastructure push.

The JKIA deal has pushed the value of projects under CRBC to more than Sh1.2 trillion.

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