Adani Denies JKIA Lease, Maintains Project in Review Stage

Indian conglomerate Adani Group has refuted claims that Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has already been leased for 30 years. The company insisted that the proposed project remains in the review and due diligence phase and has not yet received government approval.

According to court documents, Adani Holdings has paid a review fee of $50,000 (approximately KSh6.47 million) to the Kenyan government as mandated by law. This payment is part of the company's bid to secure the $1.85 billion (KSh242 billion) JKIA privatization project.

"Upon submission of the Privately Initiated Proposal (PIP), the 5th respondent (Adani Airport Holdings Limited) duly paid a review fee of USD 50,000 to the Public Private Partnership Facilitation Fund as required by the law," the court documents stated. "The 5th respondent also provided all the necessary pre-approval documents including incorporation and corporate documents, tax compliance documents and financial documents to aid the PPP (Public Private Partnership) Directorate, in coordination with KAA, to carry out their due diligence on the proponent."

In response to a lawsuit filed by the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the Law Society of Kenya on September 17, Alok Patni, representing Adani, dismissed the allegations against the JKIA deal as false information.