MPs undergoing inspection at Entebbe International Airport
Passengers at Entebbe International Airport
Entebbe International Airport recorded a 10.5% drop in passenger numbers in the first half of 2026, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has revealed.
The drop is attributed to the closure of parts of Middle East airspace beginning 28 February 2026, and the Ebola outbreak.
The UCAA Ag. Director General, Olive Birungi Lumonya made the remarks while hosting members of the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) at Entebbe International Airport on August 20, 2026.
The Middle East is a particularly important aviation corridor for Uganda, connecting many passengers to Europe, Asia and other destinations.
Ms Lumonya said the disruptions resulted in flight cancellations, and reduced connectivity.
“These developments inevitably affected passenger numbers, aircraft movements, airline revenues and, consequently, aviation-related revenues accruing to the airport and other players in the value chain in the first part of 2026,” she said, adding: “The two factors led to a 10.8% reduction in international passenger traffic in the first 6 months of 2026 compared to the same period of 2025.”
Similarly, she said, imports declined by 15.8% and exports by 26.5%. It is only domestic traffic and transit, which increased by 28.7% and 11.4%, respectively.
“The good news is that in the aftermath of the disruptions, some airlines such as KLM, which suspended operations on 30th May has indicated a tentative resumption date of September 2026. Emirates and Fly Dubai have resumed operations in phases, and are currently each operating five flights per week, albeit carrying nationals and transit, but bringing in all arriving passengers, with the exception of those from DRC and South Sudan. Air Arabia and Fly NAS are yet to resume flights to Entebbe awaiting full relaxation of restrictions, but all the other airlines are operating,” she said.
Overall, she said, growth in Uganda’s aviation sector remains positive.
“For instance, Entebbe International Airport recorded 2.48 million international passengers in 2025, compared to 2.24 million in 2024, representing growth of approximately 11 percent. The airport also handled 69,595 metric tonnes of cargo in 2025, compared to 67,098 tonnes in 2024,” she said, adding that this growth was supported by increased airline connectivity, tourism, and introduction of new routes and operators.
In 2025, for example, she said, Uganda Airlines commenced direct services to London Gatwick, while new operators such as Flynas and others strengthened Uganda’s regional and international connectivity. Uganda has now concluded a total of 64 Bilateral Air Service Agreements with other countries.
Positive developments
Despite these challenges, Ms Lumonya said Uganda has continued to make significant investments and attain important milestones in aviation.
Uganda has continued to strengthen its international aviation standing and was elected to the ICAO Council for the 2025–2028 term, which is a significant achievement and recognition of Uganda’s contribution to international civil aviation.
In addition, a National Air Navigation Plan 2025-2040 was developed, a key milestone under the partnership with ICAO to enhance air navigation services and support the continued growth of Uganda’s aviation sector. The plan provides a comprehensive 15-year air navigation roadmap.
Safety and Security
Ms Lumonya said Uganda attained an effective implementation score of 72.64% in the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme – Continuos Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA) audit of September 2023. The score was above the regional average of 55% and global average of 69.4%.
She said Uganda scored 81.6% in the Universal Security Audit Programme – Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA) audit of January–February 2024, above averages of 64.5% (regional) and 72.36% (global). No significant safety or security concern was raised in either audit.
“To further enhance safety, two foam tenders and a state-of-the-art fire truck to maintain category 9 fire cover for Entebbe International Airport were recently acquired,” she said, adding that Phase 1 of the expansion and upgrade of Entebbe International Airport was completed, with delivery of the new Passenger Terminal Complex which is to be opened to the public later this year.
The Karibuni Lounge has since been revamped and relocated to the second floor of the passenger terminal building to create room for passenger lounges on the first floor. This project is complete.
Jinja Aerodrome was upgraded from a gravel to a paved runway with a parallel taxiway.
“Phase 1 of Kabalega International Airport stands at 98.5%, with partial handover to UCAA expected in October 2026,” she said, adding: “In air navigation, new DVOR/DME systems were commissioned at Kasese in June 2024 and Soroti in June 2025, ATIS was upgraded to Digital-ATIS, VHF coverage in Class E airspace was extended.”
Uganda continues to expand its aviation infrastructure beyond Entebbe and work is progressing on the development and upgrading of other upcountry aerodromes, including Kidepo, whose works for upgrade to international status to support tourism were commissioned by H.E the President recently.
Funding was secured from the African Development Bank for the upgrade of Arua to proceed, among others.
