Qatar's Power International Holding targets Ethiopia airport and DRC highway in African infrastructure push

Qatar-based Power International Holding (PIH) and its subsidiary UCC Holding are actively pursuing major infrastructure construction contracts in Africa, including Ethiopia's planned $12.5bn (€11.4bn) international airport project and a 400-kilometre highway development in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The moves place PIH among a growing field of Gulf investors competing for some of the continent's most significant construction and transport infrastructure programmes.

Business Insider Africa reported, citing Bloomberg, that Boyd Merrett, group chief executive officer of UCC Holding, confirmed the firm is actively bidding for both projects. UCC Holding has delivered large-scale infrastructure projects in Qatar and internationally and ranks among the top global international contractors.

PIH is led by brothers Moutaz Al-Khayyat, founder and chairman, and Ramez Al-Khayyat, president and group CEO. The group's portfolio includes UCC, dairy producer Baladna and Estithmar Holding, with construction and infrastructure among its core operating divisions.

The proposed Ethiopian airport, to be built in Bishoftu approximately 40 kilometres southeast of Addis Ababa, is designed to become one of Africa's largest aviation hubs. The facility will feature four runways and cover approximately 35 square kilometres, with a projected annual capacity of up to 100 million passengers within five years of completion, according to Ethiopian Airlines chief executive Mesfin Tasew.

The DRC highway project is aimed at improving regional connectivity and easing long-standing infrastructure bottlenecks that have constrained trade flows across Central Africa.

The bids reflect a broader pattern of Middle Eastern capital targeting African megaprojects through public-private partnerships, driven by the continent's infrastructure deficit and the long-term growth outlook supported by the African Continental Free Trade Area. The Africa Development Bank estimates the continent requires $402bn per year to meet its infrastructure development goals.

Explore the full report on Power International Holding's African infrastructure expansion strategy.