Adani Responds To Reports JKIA Takeover Proposal Was Approved In 17 Days

• Adani Group denied reports claiming its proposal to take over operations at JKIA was approved within 17 days, stating that the company never issued such a statement
• Public backlash ensued after a whistleblower exposed details of a proposed 30-year concession deal for Adani to manage JKIA
• A Kenyan media house reported on September 18 that Adani's proposal was swiftly approved, sparking scrutiny over the approval process
• The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) raised concerns over the deal, criticising the focus on City Side Development (CSD) projects like hotels

Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has more than three years of financial, business, and technology research expertise, providing insights into Kenyan and global trends.

The Adani Group has responded to reports that its deal to take over Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) was approved within 17 days.

Adani Group has faced backlash from stakeholders and the Kenyan public after a whistleblower exposed a proposal that would allow the Indian conglomerate to take over JKIA operations for 30 years.

Was Adani deal approved?

On Wednesday, September 18, a reputable Kenyan media house reported that the company's proposal was swiftly approved within 17 days, which has led to scrutiny over the circumstances behind the approval.

However, Adani Group's spokesperson denied the reports, claiming that the company did not release such a statement.

"We have come across a report published by The Standard (Kenya) claiming that the Adani Group made a statement regarding the Kenya Airports Authority and the approval process of a proposal.

"We would like to clarify that this report is entirely false. The Adani Group has neither issued any such statement nor engaged with the media on this matter. We urge media outlets to verify information through official channels before publishing to avoid the spread of misinformation," said the spokesperson.

Why there is controversy around JKIA takeover

Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported that institutional bodies in Kenya raised concerns over the lack of transparency in the proposal to hand over the airport's management to Adani, considering that a whistleblower on the X platform shared details of the deal to the public.

The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) raised concerns about the proposed 30-year concession deal for JKIA.

According to IEK, the Adani proposal prioritises City Side Development (CSD), including hotels and malls, which overlooks urgent needs like runways and taxiways.

Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at JKIA as airport workers went on strike on September 11 over the proposed Adani Group takeover.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke