The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has been recognized with a prestigious accolade from the Airports Council International (ACI) Africa.

ACI Africa is the international association of African airports with 74 airport members as of July 1, 2025, from 53 African countries, managing more than 261 airports and 46 business partners.

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) announced on Thursday, September 18, that JKIA has been awarded the Environment & Sustainable Development Award 2025 for excellence in waste circularity.

The award, which took place at the ACI Africa Annual General Assembly in Lusaka, Zambia, celebrates JKIA’s efforts in turning waste into resources and promoting eco-friendly practices within aviation.

 “JKIA wins prestigious ACI Africa Environment & Sustainable Development Award 2025 for excellence in waste circularity. Leading in sustainable aviation, JKIA turns waste into resources, inspiring Africa’s airports to embed eco-friendly practices,” said KAA.

The award is part of the ACI Africa Environment and Sustainable Development (ESD) Awards, which are presented every two years to African airports that have demonstrated outstanding achievements in environmental sustainability.

The objectives of the ACI Africa ESD Awards include recognizing airports that adopt best practices in environmental and sustainable development, encouraging the reduction of environmental impact from airport operations, and highlighting innovations in sustainability.

The awards also promote alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), support capacity building among environmental experts in African aviation, and showcase leadership in sustainable airport management.

Projects eligible for consideration must have been implemented between 2023 and 2025 and are evaluated based on several criteria.

These include measurement and monitoring effectiveness, cost efficiency, innovation, capacity building, sustainability impacts, and demonstrated environmental benefits.

Eligible projects must also show tangible improvements in environmental outcomes, benefits to local communities, stakeholder engagement, and effective, sustainable waste management.

The ACI Africa ESD Awards are categorized based on airport size and are assessed with fairness and equity in mind. Final decisions are made by a jury comprising representatives from ACI Africa, other ACI regions, aviation experts, academic professionals, and business partners. The jury holds full authority over award outcomes and is not obligated to disclose internal deliberations.

In addition to recognition, award winners gain visibility across the aviation industry and are offered complimentary ACI Africa training in environmental and sustainable development. Recognized projects may also be featured in a Best Practices Paper shared with airports across the ACI Africa network.

Earlier in April, Kenya invited the Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) of China to submit their expression of interest towards the upgrading of JKIA, months after President William Ruto ordered the immediate termination of the India’s Adani Group planned takeover of the airport.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, on April 22, met with President of BUCG International Raymond Luo, General Manager of Marketing Harold Huang, and Vice President for Southeast Africa Wei Zhang to discuss their expertise in airport construction.

BUCG is a leading enterprise in the construction industry in Beijing, with special-grade qualifications for general contracting of housing construction projects and highway projects.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, in a statement, said that the executives shared insights from their 42 years of experience building over 30 airport terminals, runways, and specialised aviation facilities worldwide.

“Kenya needs a modernised Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to strengthen its position as a leading hub for Eastern Africa and the continent at large,” said PCS Mudavadi.

“I encouraged them to submit their expression of interest as Kenya prepares to invite contractors for the upcoming JKIA expansion.”

The announcement by Mudavadi came after the Cabinet in February 2025 approved various reforms aimed at improving passenger experience, strengthening security, and streamlining operations at JKIA, which is set to undergo major restructuring.

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