Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) dey under strong pressure as passenger numbers don grow five-fold inside the past forty years.

Dem build the airport for 1978 to handle two million passengers per year, but now Kenya biggest airport dey receive near ten million travellers.

Caleb Kositany, chairman of Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), talk say the matter don almost unbearable for peak hours.

From 10am to 2am, you go find the airport clogged with vehicles outside, passengers inside, and aircraft for the tarmac, na so e be, he tell TRT Afrika.

Kositany wey recently do private waka go Türkiye dey praise how the new Istanbul Airport carry everything wey modern civil aviation infrastructure suppose get. He describe am as a fantastic facility wey sabi integrate technology, and he hope say Kenya fit follow that template as dem dey plan to upgrade Nairobi airport.

As Kenya dey prepare to open bids for JKIA expansion, Türkiye don show as frontrunner for partnership wey fit build the infrastructure wey the East African country need.

KAA interest to partner Turkish investors to overhaul the creaking aviation system come from Türkiye strong track record for airport development.

We get plenty to learn, Kositany yan, noting say Türkiye advanced aviation technology fit be blueprint for Kenya expansion plan. He add say IGA Istanbul Airport dey handle about 85 million passengers now and dem project 135 million by 2032, which na big achievement.

For contrast, JKIA need rapid-exit taxiways make dem clear runways faster and e need second runway to meet the big demand for flights to and from Nairobi.

We don long pass wetin the airport original design suppose carry, Kositany talk. We dey now handle over nine million passengers but our capacity still dey two million.

Kositany confirm say Turkish companies don already show interest for the airport project. He talk say dem don receive many requests and e no be secret say Kenya need upgrade her airport infrastructure. We go consider all potential partners and possibilities, he add.

The partnership talks no stop for runways alone. Kositany reveal say talks don reach advanced stage with Turkish companies to set up textile manufacturing units for Kenya.

We dey always go there to shop. Plenti of our textiles – the best suits, the finest trousers, all these garments – dem dey make am for Türkiye, Kositany tell TRT Afrika. We dey look to bring that manufacturing expertise enter Kenya textile industry.

Kenya still dey explore collaboration potential with Türkiye for dairy technology and aviation fire-safety training.

Grounded projects

Two previous attempts to upgrade JKIA no take off – the 2012 Greenfield Project and the more recent proposal from India's Adani Group.

KAA dey prepare to release an expression of interest to attract new international partners, and dem open to public-private partnerships or build-operate-transfer models.

Kositany make am clear say Kenya no go entertain wetin he call briefcase investors wey go secure contract first before dem arrange money.

We want person wey go come with ready finances. If we sign today, make dem begin ground tomorrow, he talk.

Alongside construction, KAA plan small-small improvements wey passengers go feel quick. Modern scanners go make people no need remove shoes for security checks again, and facial recognition systems go replace physical ID checks to make passenger flow inside terminal smoother.

Turkish footprint

Kenyan officials dey look Turkey success stories for West Africa, where construction firms from Türkiye deliver top-class infrastructure like Senegal Blaise Diagne International Airport inside record time.

Türkiye still help modernise Niger Diori Hamani International Airport before the African Union Summit.

Turkish involvement for African aviation no limited to infrastructure. Turkish Airlines now fly go more destinations inside Africa than any other non-African airline, with about 65 destinations across 41 countries.

For the first half of December, Turkish Airlines chairman Prof Ahmet Bolat and South African Airways CEO Prof John Lamola sign strategic codeshare agreement for Geneva, wey expand African travellers access to global routes through Istanbul.

Kenya neighbour Tanzania don benefit from Turkish operational expertise. Çelebi Aviation, global ground-handling company, dey operate for Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam. For Somalia, Turkish firm Favori don manage Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport since 2013.

Regional network

JKIA, wey don already be East Africa busiest airport, dey aim expand capacity to 31 million passengers by 2055. The hub dey complemented by Moi International Airport for Mombasa, wey recently get multi-million dollar upgrade to support 24-hour operations and direct international charters for tourism.

Outside these major gateways, Kenya aviation network get strategic economic roles. Eldoret International Airport for Uasin Gishu County dey work as cargo hub for fresh North Rift produce wey dem send go export.

Kisumu International Airport, the country's third busiest, don upgrade with modern air traffic control systems to support logistics for the Great Lakes region.

Isiolo International Airport dey support the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor while domestic airports like Wilson and Diani complete the aviation network wey Kenya dey position for international partnership and investment.

We get plenty work to do. We want give Kenyans the best possible infrastructure, and Türkiye na one of the key options we go consider because dem don already build impressive infrastructure, Kositany tell TRT Afrika.