Kenya signed an agreement with China Road and Bridge Corporation to upgrade and expand its main airport in the face of competition from Ethiopia and Rwanda, which are trying to overtake the country as East Africa’s travel hub.

The deal to triple Jomo Kenyatta International Airport’s passenger capacity cements Beijing’s grip on major infrastructure projects in East Africa’s largest economy, where its companies have built railroads, stadiums, and toll roads. Nairobi contracted Africa’s Trade and Development Bank and Africa Finance Corporation to arrange $1.2 billion in financing for the project.

The airport renovation has been mired in controversy since India’s Adani Group in 2024 pulled out of a 30-year concession to run the project, after its billionaire founder was indicted in the US. Labor unions, civil rights groups, and politicians have also expressed concerns over transparency and job security.

Tourism is Kenya’s second-largest foreign exchange earner and its aviation connectivity has made it a business travel hub. But its neighbors are challenging its dominance as the region’s main thoroughfare: Ethiopia operates Africa’s biggest airline, while Rwanda is building a new airport in partnership with Qatar Airways.