Ethiopian Airlines to Begin Local Aircraft Manufacturing To Supply Boeing Components

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — Ethiopian Airlines is moving beyond its role as Africa’s largest carrier, taking ambitious steps into aircraft manufacturing and industrial production. The new initiative positions the airline to become a direct supplier of aircraft components to Boeing, its long-time strategic partner.

Henok Teferra Shawl, Managing Director of Boeing Africa, revealed that Ethiopian Airlines is already laying the groundwork to locally manufacture parts that will feed into Boeing’s global supply chain.

“Ethiopian Airlines is taking concrete steps toward local aircraft manufacturing and will, in time, provide inputs for Boeing,” Henok told Birrmetrics in an exclusive interview.

At the center of this industrial transformation is the Kilinto Industrial Park facility, inaugurated in 2023 in collaboration with the Ethiopian Investment Commission and the Industrial Parks Development Corporation. The plant currently produces high-precision aerospace components such as insulation blankets and electrical wire harnesses — a significant milestone for Africa’s aviation industry.

Since establishing its Africa headquarters in Addis Ababa in April 2025, Boeing has been investing in STEM and aviation engineering programs to build local capacity and technical expertise. The move reinforces Ethiopia’s growing status as a continental hub for aviation innovation and manufacturing.

Ethiopian Airlines is Boeing’s largest customer in Africa, with an expanding fleet and a record of major aircraft acquisitions. In July 2025, the airline ordered 30 Boeing aircraft, including 787 Dreamliners, valued at approximately US$4 billion. This followed orders for eight 777-9 jets in March 2024, and 31 aircraft (787 Dreamliners and 737 MAX jets) — with options for 36 more — in November 2023, marking the largest Boeing order ever by an African carrier.

The partnership reached a new level in April 2025 when Boeing inaugurated its Africa regional headquarters in Addis Ababa, designating the city as the coordination hub for operations across the continent.

Complementing these advances, Ethiopian Airlines has also expanded its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities with new hangars, component workshops, and a centralized warehouse, cementing its role as a full-spectrum aviation leader in Africa.