The headline
Rwanda and ASECNA, the agency for air navigation safety in Africa and Madagascar, signed a partnership agreement in Kigali on 11 May 2026 to prepare Bugesera International Airport for operations. The airport is now expected to open between 2027 and 2028.
The details
- What ASECNA will do. Technical support on airspace design, operational manuals, calibration of air navigation equipment and training of specialised staff.
- Capacity. Up to 7 million passengers a year in the first phase and 14 million in a second phase from 2032, with a cargo terminal for up to 150,000 tonnes of freight a year.
- History. The airport, about 40 kilometres southeast of Kigali, has been under construction since 2017. It was first due to open by the end of 2020, and was delayed by revisions to the plan, financing constraints and the pandemic.
What it means for property
An airport changes the land around it and the roads that lead to it. The 2026/27 budget includes a wider road to the new airport (our story on the budget). Before buying in Bugesera on the strength of the airport, compare what land there actually sold for with what sellers ask, on the Bugesera area page.