Dar es Salaam. Sh3.9 trillion is needed to upgrade eight airports, the regular says.

Some projects are ongoing. However, upgrading of all of them will depend on the availability of funds from the government, external donors and the Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA).

In the next financial year, Sh200 billion will be set aside for improving airports.

The Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) upgrading will cost Sh2.2 trillion in three phases.

Mtwara and Kigoma airports will cost Sh795.5 billion and Sh107.5 billion respectively, according to a document recently presented to the Ministry of Transport by TAA acting director general George Sambali.

Sh172 billion will be for upgrading the Mwanza airport while the cost for Arusha, Tanga and Manyara airports will be Sh107.5 billion each. Sh354.75 billion will be spent on developing the Dodoma airport.

However, the document has not indicated the amount expected to be spent on upgrading Songwe, Bukoba, Mpanda and Mafia airports.

Nor have amounts spent on ongoing projects been divulged.

Works on JNIA, Kigoma, Songwe, Mwanza and Dodoma airports have started.

“We want our airports to meet international standards to attain our target of attracting more customers,” said Mr Sambali.

The TAA’s goal is for the number of domestic air travellers to increase from 4.94 million in 2013 to 18.51 million in 2033.

TAA projects cargo handling to increase from 28,942 tonnes to 52,272 during the same period. The number of travellers at JNIA will increase from 2.35 million to 9.4 million. The projection was to handle 21,891 tonnes of cargo in 2013 and raise the amount to 39,942 tonnes in 2033.

According to Mr Sambali, with the improvement of airports especially those located in border regions, new routes will be opened to landlocked countries.

He believes that more customers who travel to Nairobi and Johannesburg to get connections to those countries will be attracted to use Tanzania airports.

“Currently, out of 50 per cent of international traffic, Kenya is the destination for 30 per cent of them and Johannesburg is the destination for 20 per cent them to have connections to other countries.”

He attributed the trend to the lack of direct flights to those countries due to the absence of a strong aviation industry in the country.

That has an adverse impact on the country’s economy. “Although landlocked countries depend on Dar es Salaam Port, Tanzania handles 20 per cent of their imports and exports,” noted Mr Sambali.

He hopes that with a strong aviation industry, Tanzania will increase traffic inflows, transport more people and handle more cargo.