Private motorists dropping off or collecting passengers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) will soon be barred from accessing the main terminal forecourt as part of a sweeping reconfiguration designed to ease congestion and lift capacity.
Consultants from Sidara, the firm tasked with crafting the airport’s new masterplan, have proposed restricting access within the circular terminal zone to licensed airport taxis and digital ride-hailing vehicles only. Private cars will instead operate from areas near the long-term parking section.
The objective is blunt and practical. By reclaiming the current temporary parking bays inside the terminal loop, planners intend to create space for expansion works that would raise JKIA’s handling capacity from 7.5 million passengers annually to 12 million in the short term.
Under the redesign, additional check-in counters and security lanes will be installed to tackle the persistent queues caused by stretched facilities. Terminals 1B and 1C are set to be consolidated into a single, larger departures hub for all international airlines, including Kenya Airways and its SkyTeam partners.
International arrivals will shift from Terminal 1E, which is earmarked for closure, to Terminal 1A, currently used by KQ and partners such as KLM and Emirates. The shuttering of 1E will allow expansion of Terminal 1D, which will be dedicated to domestic traffic.
The strain is evident in the numbers. Terminal 1D processed about 1.8 million passengers last year despite being designed for 500,000. Terminal 1A handled roughly four million travellers, far above its 2.5 million capacity. Only Terminals 1B and 1C operated within their intended limits.
Also Read: Prudential Moves to Exit ICEA Lion with Sale of 24.1% Stake
These changes represent the opening chapter of a larger ambition to turn JKIA into a fully fledged airport city, complete with a special economic zone. The first phase is meant to provide breathing room while longer-term projects, including a new terminal and runway, aim to push total capacity to 22.3 million passengers by 2029.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Airports Authority is preparing to introduce its own official ride-hailing platform for airport taxis, positioning it against operators such as Uber and Bolt. The app will initially handle regulated taxi bookings with fare estimates, vehicle tracking and automated dispatch features, with scope to evolve into a broader digital marketplace covering lounges and retail services.
If implemented, the changes would alter a familiar ritual for Nairobi travellers. No more circling the terminal loop in a private saloon car. Efficiency, it seems, is about to trump nostalgia at the airport gates.
