Adani Group Issues Statement After Reports of a 17-Day Approval for JKIA Deal

The Adani Group has dismissed allegations that it pushed for speedy approval of plans to take over the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in a multi-billion deal that would see the global conglomerate operate East Africa's largest airfield for a period of 30 years.

This follows a report by a local media house claiming that the Indian firm paid Ksh6.5 million to the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), securing approval for the takeover within 17 days.

In a statement on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, Adani Group termed the reports as false and malicious, clarifying that it had neither held talks with KAA nor engaged the said media station regarding the takeover.

"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.

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"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,” the Indian firm stated.

Adani Group called upon the Kenyan media to ensure proper verification of information before it is relayed to the general public going forward.

On the said reports, a local publication had claimed that Adani Group confirmed the payment of USD50,000 (approximately Ksh6.5 million) to the Public Private Partnerships Facilitation Fund to smooth the approval process for its proposed USD1.85 billion (Ksh242 billion) takeover of JKIA.

“Upon submission of the 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,” reads a replying affidavit by Adani Group to the case lodged by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) on September 9, blocking the deal.

“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.”

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Adani Group, in the alleged affidavit, claimed that it had received a confirmation from KAA on March 18, approving the procession of its proposal to the development phase. 

The firm later conducted a feasibility study, furnishing the Kenyan government with environmental and social impacts of the proposed deal.

Adani Group maintained that the proposal is still at the review and due-diligence stage, dismissing reports that it had already leased the airport for a period of 30 years.

The Indian firm says in the affidavit that its proposal is inline with the Kenya Kwanza government's infrastructure development agenda, assuring the Kenyan people would get value for their money.

Appearing before the Senate Committee on Roads and Transport last week, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir clarified that the Adani Group proposal was only limited to JKIA, noting that the government was in the process of conducting public participation regarding the deal.

“The Adani Privately Initiated Proposal is only confined to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). It is further confined to other aeronautical and commercial development,” he explained.

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