New Kigali International Airport Project

Project Overview

United Belt Ltd was awarded a civil engineering contract for the drainage system works at the New Bugesera International Airport — one of Rwanda’s most ambitious infrastructure developments. The works were carried out under contract with Mota Engil Africa and covered three critical drainage components essential to the airport’s water management infrastructure.

The drainage system works covered:

●
Waste Water Drainage: Design and construction of the wastewater drainage system to manage all wastewater flows across the airport site

●
Pipe Culvert: Construction of pipe culverts to manage the flow of surface water across roads and infrastructure areas, preventing flooding under key access routes

●
Retention Pipe: Installation of retention pipe systems to manage and retain stormwater, controlling water flow across the airport site and protecting the surrounding environment

IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH

Our team approached the drainage system works in three structured phases, ensuring each component was delivered to the strict technical standards required for a world-class international airport:

●
Phase 1 — Waste Water System: Designed and constructed to ensure safe and compliant disposal of all wastewater flows in line with international airport standards. Works included pipe laying, jointing, and connection to the main drainage network across the site.

●
Phase 2 — Pipe Culvert: Pipe culverts were carefully positioned and installed under key road and access route crossings to ensure smooth, unobstructed water passage and prevent surface flooding across the airport site.

●
Phase 3 — Retention Pipe: Retention pipe systems were installed to control stormwater flow, reducing runoff and protecting the airport’s surrounding environment from water damage and erosion.

Project Overview

As part of the New Bugesera International Airport civil engineering contract with Mota Engil Africa, United Belt Ltd executed critical infrastructure works across the airport site covering underground utility installation and manhole construction.

The infrastructure works covered:

●
Electrical Pipeline — Installation of underground electrical conduit pipes across designated sections of the airport site, providing essential routing for the airport’s electrical distribution network

●
Cast In-Situ Manhole — Construction of reinforced concrete manholes built directly on site to serve as access points for the underground drainage and utility networks across the airport

●
Cosmetic Manhole — Finishing and surfacing of manholes to meet the aesthetic and functional requirements of the airport’s paved and landscaped areas, ensuring all manholes were flush, safe, and compliant

IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH

The infrastructure works were delivered in three carefully coordinated phases to ensure seamless integration with the airport’s broader construction program:

●
Phase 1 — Electrical Pipeline: Underground electrical conduit pipes were carefully routed and installed across designated airport sections, providing the essential underground infrastructure for the airport’s electrical distribution system without disrupting other ongoing construction works on site.

●
Phase 2 — Cast In-Situ Manholes: Reinforced concrete manholes were cast directly on site at precise locations across the airport drainage and utility network. Each manhole was constructed to the exact dimensions and load-bearing specifications required for an international airport environment.

●
Phase 3 — Cosmetic Manholes: All manholes in paved and landscaped areas were finished and surfaced to airport aesthetic standards, ensuring they were flush with surrounding surfaces, clearly marked, safely accessible, and visually consistent with the airport’s finished environment.

Project Overview

United Belt Ltd executed comprehensive fencing works at the New Bugesera International Airport as part of the civil engineering contract with Mota Engil Africa. The fencing works were a critical security and boundary component of the airport development, ensuring the site was properly secured in accordance with international airport security standards.

The fencing works covered:

●
Boundary Fence — Construction of the official legal and physical boundary of the airport site, demarcating the full perimeter of the airport land

●
Perimeter Fence — Construction of the primary security barrier around the operational areas of the airport, meeting strict international airport security and access control requirements

IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH

The fencing works were delivered in two structured phases, prioritizing security, durability, and compliance with international airport standards:

●
Phase 1 — Boundary Fence: The full boundary fence was constructed to establish the official legal and physical limits of the airport site. Works included site surveying, post installation, fencing panel erection, and finishing along the complete boundary line of the airport development, providing a clear and durable demarcation between the airport land and the surrounding area.

●
Phase 2 — Perimeter Fence: The perimeter security fence was constructed around the operational areas of the airport to the strict security specifications required for an international airport. Durable, high-security fencing materials were used throughout, with all works completed in full compliance with Mota Engil Africa’s technical requirements and international airport security standards.

Project Overview

United Belt Ltd executed comprehensive earthwork excavation works at the New Bugesera International Airport as part of the civil engineering contract with Mota Engil Africa. The earthwork component was a foundational phase of the airport’s civil engineering program, preparing the ground for the installation of drainage, utility, and infrastructure systems across the airport site.

The earthwork covered:

●
Trench Excavation — Excavation of trenches across designated sections of the airport site to accommodate underground drainage pipes, utility lines, and other buried infrastructure components

●
Pipeline Excavation — Precise excavation works carried out specifically for the routing and installation of pipeline systems across the airport site, ensuring correct depth, alignment, and ground preparation for all pipeline infrastructure

●
Open Channel Excavation — Excavation of open drainage channels across the airport site to facilitate the controlled flow of surface water, stormwater, and runoff away from operational areas

IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH

The earthwork was delivered in three carefully coordinated excavation phases, ensuring ground preparation was completed to the exact specifications required before other civil engineering works could proceed:

●
Phase 1 — Trench Excavation: Trenches were excavated to precise dimensions across designated sections of the airport site. Each trench was carefully profiled, shored where necessary, and prepared to receive underground drainage pipes, electrical conduits, and utility lines. Excavated material was managed and disposed of in compliance with the project’s earthwork management plan.

●
Phase 2 — Pipeline Excavation: Dedicated pipeline excavation works were carried out to prepare the ground for the installation of the airport’s pipeline infrastructure. Works included precise alignment surveys, controlled excavation to the required pipeline depths, and preparation of bedding layers to ensure correct pipeline support and long-term structural integrity.

●
Phase 3 — Open Channel Excavation: Open drainage channels were excavated across the airport site to the required cross-sectional profiles and gradients, ensuring efficient and controlled drainage of surface water and stormwater away from operational and infrastructure areas. Channel works were coordinated closely with the drainage system installation teams to ensure seamless integration across the full airport drainage network.

Project Details

Location:Bugesera District, Rwanda
Duration:February 2022 – February 2025
Type:Civil Engineering & Infrastructure
Status:Completed
Size:RWF 1,443,333,639
Year: 2025