Zanzibar airports record unprecedented growth under Mwinyi’s reforms

ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR’s aviation sector is reaching new heights, with the Zanzibar Airports Authority (ZAA) reporting remarkable growth in passenger traffic, revenues and international recognition—success largely credited to President Hussein Mwinyi’s economic reform agenda.

According to Minister for Infrastructure, Communication and Transport, Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed, passenger numbers at the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA) and Pemba Airport have more than doubled in the past five years, soaring from 840,599 in 2020 at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic to over 2.4 million in 2025.

“Airport revenues have followed the same trajectory, climbing from 11.6bn/- in 2019/20 to nearly 50bn/- in 2024/25,” Dr Mohamed said.

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Director General of ZAA, Mr Seif Abdallah Juma, attributed the surge to major infrastructure upgrades and strategic reforms championed under President Mwinyi’s leadership.

Key projects include the construction of new terminals at AAKIA, installation of advanced passenger and cargo screening systems, modern navigation aids and the expansion of Pemba Airport into a fully international gateway by 2027.

“These results show how Zanzibar’s airports are being positioned as gateways for investment, tourism and trade,” said Mr Juma.

“With President Mwinyi’s support, we are aligning our operations to international standards and attracting global carriers.” The growth momentum is being matched with fresh investments, including a feasibility study for Terminal 4 at AAKIA, the planned opening of a new business centre by November 2025 and expanded facilities for private jets to cater for the growing luxury tourism market.

For President Mwinyi, the progress is firmly aligned with his broader economic strategy to modernise Zanzibar’s infrastructure and attract foreign direct investment.

“Airports are the gateways to the economy,” he recently noted, “and their success is the nation’s success.”