Tanzania has raised funds to the tune of USD 272 Million to build an international airport in its capital city, Dodoma.
The loan was secured from the African Development Bank, to help the country expand its infrastructure.
Breaking down the loan, Tanzania secured USD 198 million loan from the AfDB and USD 23.52 Mn from the African Development Fund. The balancing USD 50 Million is being co-financed by China’s Africa Growing Together Fund, which is under the management of the AfDB.
The new airport will be built at Msalato, which is roughly 12 km from Dodoma. The facility in capacity is expected to cater to one million passengers annually. It will take approximately 4 years to complete, during which a passenger terminal, runway and related infrastructure will be built.
Amadou Oumarou, AfDB’s infrastructure, and urban development department directorChina’s said, “An expanded air transport network in Dodoma, together with the ongoing high-speed railway construction on the central corridor, are necessary infrastructure investments to help unlock and disperse spatial development in the countryside.
“This will strengthen the city’s potential as a strategic growth pole in keeping with Tanzania’s national development aspirations of fostering shared growth for all the regions.”
The East African country has 29 airports. It also has an international airport, the Julius Nyerere Airport situated in Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania.
The international airport is located about 12 kilometers southwest of the city center and has flights to destinations in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
