Recently, runway pavers are still operating back and forth at the construction site of Musalato Airport on the outskirts of Dodoma. Mohammad Besta, the Director of Tanzania's National Roads Authority, presented a clear timetable for the opening of the infrastructure section on December 27, 2026, the construction section on December 30, 2026, and the official operation in January 2027, standing in front of the large passenger aircraft apron that has not yet been put into use. This means that the Tanzanian capital Dodoma is about to end its history of not having an international airport.

The runway will be completed first by the end of the year

The infrastructure section covers runways, taxiways, aprons, and peripheral roads, with a cost of 1.644 trillion Tanzanian shillings and a current completion rate of 89%. Besta stated that the section will be completed first on December 27, 2026, leaving a window for subsequent flight verification and industry acceptance. The airport is built in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization's ICAO 4E standard and is capable of taking off and landing large commercial aircraft. Flight tests have been completed and relevant regulations for aircraft takeoff and landing have been formulated.

Nearly 80% of the terminal building is completed

The construction section includes the terminal building, tower, substation, backup power supply, meteorological station, and fire rescue facilities, with a cost of 1949.5 billion Tanzanian shillings and a completion rate of 79%. It is planned to be completed by December 30, 2026. The total investment of the two major sections is approximately 3593.5 billion Tanzanian shillings, and the funds are jointly provided by the Tanzanian government and the African Development Bank. Besta said that the remaining work of the project mainly focuses on regulatory procedures such as civil aviation certification and international announcements. Certification is expected to continue until November to December 2026, creating conditions for navigation in January 2027.

Phase II planning for cold chain warehousing

Msalato Airport is positioned by the Tanzanian government as the core project of the Dodoma regional aviation hub, with the goal of unleashing the potential for cargo, tourism, investment attraction, and agricultural product exports. The second phase of the project's long-term planning will extend the runway and provide large-scale cold chain storage facilities to support the export of fresh agricultural products overseas. Besta calls on local businesses in Dodoma to plan ahead and seize the business opportunities brought by the new airport. Keywords: Infrastructure News Network, International, Airport Infrastructure

According to synchronized information, the construction progress of the Jangwani Bridge in Dar es Salaam has reached 42%, and the excavation of the deep foundation pit has been completed. The project has shifted from foundation construction to upper structure construction. In response to the El Ni ñ o heavy rainfall from October to December 2026, the Tanzania Road Authority has deployed disaster prevention plans, allocated 40 billion shillings in emergency reserve funds, and requested regional leaders to investigate accident prone and flood prone sections. The Road Bureau reminds drivers to be vigilant when traveling during the rainy season. The public can report road faults, submit opinions and complaints through the government's e-Mrejesho online platform.Editor/Gao Xue