The Adani Group has strongly dismissed claims that it hastily secured approval for its proposal to take over renovation works at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) within just 17 days. The allegations surfaced in a local media report, which questioned how quickly the deal was approved, sparking concerns about the thoroughness of the process.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Indian conglomerate labelled the reports as false and accused the media of spreading unverified information. Adani Group stressed that it had neither pressured the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) into rushing the approval nor communicated with any local news outlet regarding the matter.

The company emphasized that all information related to its projects should be verified through official channels to avoid misleading the public. “We urge media outlets to fact-check before publishing such stories to prevent the spread of misinformation,” Adani Group noted in its statement.

The controversy comes after a local publication suggested that Adani’s proposal to renovate and manage JKIA was pushed through in record time, prompting concerns over the transparency of the process.

However, Kenya’s Transport Cabinet Secretary, Davis Chirchir, recently clarified that the deal with Adani is far from being finalized. Speaking before the Senate Committee on Roads and Transport, Chirchir explained that the proposal, known as the privately initiated proposal (PIP), was still undergoing public participation. He also emphasised that the proposed deal is only focused on JKIA and does not include any other airports in the country.

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“The Adani proposal is limited to JKIA and concerns aeronautical and commercial developments. We will ensure the public is involved in the decision-making process,” Chirchir stated.

As the government continues to evaluate the proposal, further details are expected to emerge in the coming days.