Bulawayo, (New Ziana)- The Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo is set for a major facelift and runway expansion as passenger numbers surpass pre-pandemic levels and international airlines continue to show growing interest in the second-largest city.
Speaking during a media tour on Monday, Airports Company of Zimbabwe (ACZ) public relations and communications manager Tonderai Mangombe said the airport is becoming a strategic hub and will soon benefit from key infrastructure developments to support increasing traffic and unlock regional economic potential.
He added that it was the first airport to be upgraded before the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport back in 2013.
“From 29 000 passengers during COVID, we have grown to 188 000 in 2024, and we are already at 134 000 by August this year. We are on track to surpass all previous records. It was supposed to have a 10-year lifespan, but we are now 12 years down the line. So, we are a bit behind, but we are working on refurbishing and face-lifting the terminal building,” he said.
Mangombedzi said the 2.5-kilometre runway currently limits the ability of the airport to host wide-body, long-haul aircraft like the Boeing 777 or Airbus A350 and the ACZ was pursuing plans to extend the runaway to 4.5km, a move that would make it the second largest runaway in the country after the RG Mugabe International Airport.
“Right now, Ethiopian Airlines is using smaller aircraft into Bulawayo because our runway cannot handle larger equipment. We are engaging the government to secure funding and extend the runway by one kilometre on each end. Once complete, this will enable direct intercontinental connectivity straight from Bulawayo to Europe, Asia, or the Americas,” he said.
Mangombe said currently four airlines, which include Ethiopian Airlines, Airlink (with three daily flights to Johannesburg), Fastjet (linking Bulawayo to Victoria Falls, Harare, and Johannesburg), and Eswatini Air operate scheduled flights into the city.
“The addition of Ethiopian Airlines marked a significant milestone in Zimbabwe’s route development strategy. Ethiopian didn’t just come on their own. We approached them, presented a business case, showed them the potential traffic from Bulawayo. That’s part of our business development strategy,” he said.
He said beyond the runway extension, the CAZ is also focusing on modernising airport facilities, confirming that refurbishment of the airport’s fire station has been completed, and a facelift of the terminal building will begin shortly, following the conclusion of a tender process.
“We want J.M. Nkomo Airport to reflect the standard of a growing international gateway. We are talking about repainting, structural maintenance, and improving passenger experience. This follows a recently signed maintenance contract that will oversee ongoing upgrades across ACZ-operated airports,” he said.
The ACZ currently manages a network of nine airports which include RG Mugabe International (Harare), Victoria Falls, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo (Bulawayo), Charles Prince (Harare), Buffalo Range (Chiredzi), Masvingo, Kariba, Hwange National Park Airport, and the newly opened Grand Reef in Mutare.
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