Türkiye’s leading ground-handling company Celebi Aviation announced Monday that its German subsidiary Celebi Cargo GmbH has signed a binding share purchase agreement to acquire all shares of Transglobal Cargo Centre Ltd. (TCC), a Nairobi-based air cargo and ground-handling operator at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, for €34.5 million ($40.1 million).
The deal, finalized on Oct. 25, 2025, marks Celebi’s first direct entry into the African aviation services market. The company said the acquisition aligns with its international growth strategy and aims to strengthen group synergies across its global network.
The transaction will be completed once regulatory approvals and contractual conditions are fulfilled, with the closing expected by Jan. 31, 2026.
Kenya’s aviation sector projected to expand 5% annually
Transglobal Cargo Center provides ground-handling, air cargo, and warehousing services at Kenya’s largest airport. The company is one of the key logistics players at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport—a major regional hub for both passenger and freight operations in East Africa.
According to Celebi’s statement on the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP), Kenya’s aviation market is forecast to grow by an average of 5% annually over the next five years. TCC’s annual revenue is projected to reach approximately €15.9 million by the end of that period, supported by total investments of around €6.5 million.
Founded in 1958, Celebi Aviation is one of Türkiye’s oldest private ground-handling companies and a long-standing service provider in the global aviation industry. Headquartered in Istanbul, the company operates across Europe, India, and the Middle East, offering passenger services, ramp operations, and air cargo management at more than 40 airports worldwide.
Setbacks in India remain unresolved
The move into Africa comes months after Celebi faced setbacks in India, where local authorities terminated its concession agreements for nine airports the company was operating, including the Mumbai and Delhi airports. The cancellations, formally communicated in May 2025, were justified by Indian officials citing national security concerns over security clearances. The decision followed a brief military confrontation between India and Pakistan that prompted an anti-Turkish boycott after Türkiye expressed formal support for Pakistan.
Appeals against the decisions by Celebi’s Indian subsidiaries—Celebi Airport India and Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management—were also rejected by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), an agency under India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation.