The Swedish consultancy Independent Business Group (IBG) will provide technical expertise and equipment to modernise air traffic management at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as part of a broader Ksh154.2 billion JKIA expansion.
Kenya and Stockholm-based Independent Business Group (IBG) signed a multi-million-shilling contract to upgrade JKIA’s air traffic management on Sept 18, 2026.
IBG will supply technical expertise and equipment covering airport capacity, airspace design, communications, navigation and surveillance, flight procedures, training, and air navigation services.
The JKIA expansion includes a new passenger terminal designed to add capacity for 10 million more passengers a year, plus improved taxiways, parking, and airside/landside operations.
# Overview Kenya signed a contract with Swedish aviation consultancy Independent Business Group (IBG) on September 18, 2026, to support upgrades to air traffic management at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The signing took place in Nairobi and was witnessed by Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and Sweden's Ambassador to Kenya, Håkan Åkesson.
# What the deal covers IBG is a Stockholm-based aviation infrastructure and consultancy company founded in 2007. The firm will provide technical expertise and equipment focused on air traffic management. Specific areas named in the agreement include:
The Swedish government described the contract as a multi-million-shilling deal intended to support the ongoing JKIA expansion and modernisation.
# How this fits into the wider JKIA project Ksh154.2 billion JKIA modernisation project that was awarded to China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). The government completed the JKIA Master Plan in February 2026 and construction works under the expansion officially began in June 2026.
Key elements of the master plan include construction of a new passenger terminal, upgraded taxiways and aircraft parking, and enhancements to both airside and landside operations. The new terminal is expected to add capacity for about 10 million additional passengers per year.
# Capacity and operational aims
Training and air navigation services included in the contract indicate that the deal covers both hardware/software equipment and human-capacity elements required to run modern air traffic systems.
# Timeline and context
# What to watch next
# Bottom line The IBG contract fills a technical component of JKIA's broader modernisation plan by targeting air traffic management systems and skills. The work is part of a larger, ongoing upgrade that seeks to boost the airport's passenger handling capacity and operational efficiency.
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