In February 2018, the government of Uganda selected
Shikun & Binui, a construction firm based in
Israel to construct this airport, at a cost of US$309 million. The construction which will be undertaken by
Solel Boneh International Holdings (SBI), the international arm of Shikun & Binui, is expected to last three years. The scope of work includes (a) paving of runways (b) carrying out of earthwork and installing drainage infrastructure (c) pouring of cement and asphalt (d) building of electro-mechanical, communications and navigation systems and (e) erection of an air traffic control tower, a cargo terminal, additional residencies and service structures. SBC Uganda Limited, a joint venture company between Colas Limited of the United Kingdom and SBI International Holdings of Uganda, started construction of the airport in January 2018. The first phase of construction, including the runway and cargo-handling facilities, was expected to be ready in 2020. This phase is primarily to support construction of the
oil refinery. The second phase of construction, focused on the facilitation of passengers and boosting tourism and business, was expected to conclude in 2022. 30 percent of which are reserved for the local community and the remaining 70 percent reserved for other Ugandans, with a small number taken up by expatriates. Later, the completion of the first phase was pushed back to 2021. As of April 2019, work completed was estimated at 21 percent. In October 2019, completed work had progressed to 31 percent. In December 2019, it was estimated that 34 percent of the work had been completed. At that time, a total of over 925 workers were employed on the project. Completion was estimated to be in February 2023. In August 2020, completion was estimated at 45 percent. At that time, a total of 830 workers were on the job, with 30 percent recruited from
Hoima District. Twenty percent of the workers are female and 98 percent are Ugandan. As of June 2021, according to the
Petroleum Authority of Uganda, as reported by the
Daily Monitor, completion had progressed to an estimated 55 percent, with the runway nearly complete. Commercial commissioning was still planned for February 2023. In August 2021, the airport runway was 95 percent complete. At that time overall work on the airport was estimated at 66 percent complete. Commercial commissioning was anticipated no later than June 2023. In March 2022, construction progress was estimated at 77 percent complete. The airport's jet fuel depot is expected to receive supplies by road from Kenya and later switch to direct supplies from the Uganda Oil Refinery, when that infrastructure is established. As of May 2022, the runway was reported at 95 percent complete and the cargo building, passenger terminal, power substation house, ground lighting system, the firefighting house and related facilities were about 79 percent complete. In October 2022, the EPC contactor, SBC Uganda Limited asked for 10 more months and more money to complete the first phase of construction. At that time, approximately 85 percent of the work was complete and about 80 percent of the budget had been spent. Reasons given for the requested changes included delays attributed to the
COVID-19 epidemic, increase of the prices of
cement,
diesel fuel and
gasoline, as a result of the
Russo-Ukrainian War. The area was also inundated with heavy rains, further slowing down the progress of construction. A new completion date was reported as December 2023. In December 2023,
The Independent reported that a new completion date had been set as February 2024, to allow completion of the
control tower,
power substation and other related essential infrastructure. In April 2024, Ugandan online media reported that commercial commissioning was scheduled for August 2025. In November 2024, with 95 percent works of the first phase completed, Fred Byamukama, the Uganda state minister for transport reiterated that opening of the airport was scheduled for 13 August 2025. As of January 2026, the construction of the airport is complete and is expected to be handed over to the government in March 2026. ==Official name==