PIH eyes airport and roads in African expansion

PIH wants Africa’s big-ticket builds: Qatar-based Power International Holding (PIH)’s UCC Holding unit is bidding for major transport infrastructure projects across Africa, targeting Ethiopia’s new airport and pursuing a 400-km highway project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, UCC Holding CEO Boyd Merrett told Bloomberg.

About PIH: PIH — owned by Qatari bn’aire brothers Moutaz and Ramez Al Khayyat — operates across energy, concessions and construction, industries and services, agriculture and food industries, real estate, and lifestyle.

Ethiopia’s airport bid would place PIH into one of Africa’s largest aviation projects. Ethiopian Airlines began construction in January on the USD 12.5 bn Bishoftu International Airport — with completion targeted for 2030. The project is planned with four runways, parking for 270 aircraft, and capacity for 110 mn passengers annually. Ethiopian Airlines covers about 30% of costs, while the remainder is sourced from international lenders. The African Development Bank has pledged USD 500 mn and is helping mobilize around USD 8.7 bn, alongside interest from lenders in the Middle East, Europe, China, and the US.

Meanwhile, details on the highway are thin: Reporting points to a 400-km highway project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with no disclosed details on alignment, value, timeline, or procurement stage.