Work to rehabilitate and extend the runway at Mbuji-Mayi National Airport has made significant progress, according to a press release from the African Development Bank (AfDB). “Approximately 85% of the planned 320-meter extension is complete,” the pan-African Bank said, emphasizing that the project aims to lengthen the runway from 2,000 to 2,320 meters.
This update was confirmed during a joint mission in May 2025 by the Democratic Republic of Congo government and the AfDB to assess the impact of AfDB-funded projects.
In January, Romain Tshinyama, commander of the Régie des voies aériennes (RVA), reported that the runway extension was finished and noted that President Félix Tshisekedi is considering a further extension to 3,000 meters. “The studies have already been carried out... the dossier is just waiting for funding from the Congolese government,” he had said then.
The mission report states that the new tarmac is 95% complete, while runway end safety areas (RESA) are 70-75% finalized. Other key infrastructure—including the control tower, electrical systems, fire station, and lighting—is nearing completion.
Originally scheduled for February 2025, the project faced delays due to the late demolition of approximately 800 homes built on airport land, known as Bipemba, and financial difficulties encountered by the Chinese contractor China Jiangxi International Corporation (CJIC). The provincial government of Kasaï-Oriental carried out the demolitions in October 2024 after residents resisted eviction orders issued earlier that year.
La modernisation de l’aéroport de Mbuji-Mayi s’inscrit dans la deuxième phase du Projet prioritaire de sécurité aérienne (PPSA2).
The Mbuji-Mayi airport upgrade is part of the second phase of the Priority Air Safety Project (PPSA2). Under the same program, Bangoka Airport in Kisangani has undergone full rehabilitation of aircraft movement areas, taxiways, and tarmac, with two turnarounds installed. Additionally, radio navigation systems have been installed at airports in Luano (Lubumbashi), Kindu, Kinshasa, Mbandaka, and Goma to enhance domestic flight safety.
According to the AfDB, these improvements have reduced air accidents in the DRC from an average of ten per year to just one.
This article was initially published in French by Timothée Manoke (intern)
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
