Uganda has formally approved the construction of a major international airport at Nyakyisharara, near Mbarara City in Western Uganda, a project President Yoweri Museveni says will reshape the country’s transport, trade and economic landscape.
The planned facility will transform the existing Nyakyisharara aerodrome — currently a modest civilian airstrip — into a fully operational international airport, envisaged to rival the scale of Entebbe International Airport and serve as a new gateway for global air transport.
The proposed airport, to be developed under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model with private sector partners, is planned to cover roughly 21 square kilometres and include two primary runways of about 5.5 kilometres each, along with a reserve runway.
This design will allow accommodation of large international aircraft and substantial cargo operations.
President Museveni has highlighted the strategic advantage of Nyakyisharara’s geographic position, noting that it could serve as a “refueling and transit hub” linking continents — especially facilitating faster air routes between Latin America and Asia — by cutting travel time compared with conventional routes via Europe.
The new airport is expected to significantly reduce travel times and open direct access for international flights to western Uganda. By easing long road travels to central points like Entebbe, the airport will make the region more accessible to foreign tourists, business travellers, and investors.
Construction and subsequent airport operations are projected to create thousands of jobs, both during the construction phase and once fully functional. Ancillary sectors — including hospitality, logistics, cargo handling, aviation services, and support infrastructure — are likely to grow around the aviation hub.
With modern cargo facilities anticipated at Nyakyisharara, agricultural exports and manufactured goods from Western Uganda could reach international markets faster and at lower cost. This will especially benefit farmers, processors and exporters in the Ankole and Kigezi regions.
Western Uganda hosts attractions including national parks, cultural sites and scenic landscapes. An international airport in the region will make these destinations more attractive to global tourists by cutting transfer times and improving overall travel convenience.
Beyond tourism and trade, the airport is expected to catalyse regional development, attracting new investments in manufacturing, technology, services and education, buoyed by improved access and connectivity.
In line with the airport project, government plans also include upgrades to key road corridors around Mbarara to ensure seamless access to the airport site and enhance logistics links for freight and passenger movement.
Officials have indicated that the Nyakyisharara airport project could be completed by 2030, with preparatory works for land acquisition, road alignment and foundational infrastructure expected to begin in the immediate future.
The Nyakyisharara international airport project will be implemented under a Build‑Operate‑Transfer model, with Base 7 Aviation International Academy leading the development, Hunan Construction and Investment Engineering Company handling construction, China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute providing engineering and feasibility design, and Blackrock Uwekeza supporting financing and future operations.