Kabalega Airport commissioning now set for January 2027

What the report says

Kabalega International Airport in Kabaale Sub-county, Hoima District, is now expected to be officially commissioned in January 2027, according to Uganda’s Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama, as reported by The Independent Uganda. The update comes even though the facility has already handled its first passenger flights, marking an early test of operations at the airport.

Byamukama said the first phase of the project is 99.9% complete and that the contractor is expected to hand it over to the Ministry of Works and Transport within two weeks. He added that a second phase will include a larger passenger terminal with capacity for 1,000 people, with Shs232 billion set aside for that work. President Yoweri Museveni is expected to preside over the commissioning, the report said.

The airport project began in April 2018 with financing from Standard Chartered Bank and has faced repeated delays, including a construction pause in 2023 over a funding gap. The latest timeline follows earlier contractor estimates that handover could happen by the end of October. The airport is seen as strategically important for the Albertine region, which is preparing for commercial oil production.

The first passenger landings on Sunday were linked to Uganda’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with flights bringing football officials, Libya’s national team and Uganda Cranes players to Hoima. More broadly, the airport is expected to support travel, cargo and logistics in a region likely to see increased economic activity.