NIGERIA RECORDS 18.8 MILLION AIR PASSENGERS AS AVIATION MARKET EXPANDS

Nigeria recorded more than 18.8 million domestic and international air passenger movements in 2025, representing an 11.9 per cent increase from the previous year and making the country the fourth-largest aviation market in Africa. The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, disclosed the figure at the Airports Council International Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Abuja, where she said the growth reflected Nigeria’s increasing importance in the continent’s aviation industry.

Onabanjo-Kuku said Nigeria’s aviation expansion was occurring alongside broader growth across Africa. She cited International Air Transport Association figures showing that international passenger demand for African airlines increased by 6.4 per cent year-on-year in July 2026, while overall passenger demand across the continent rose by 5.2 per cent. In contrast, global international passenger demand declined by 0.1 per cent during the same period. She said Nigeria was contributing to the trend through increased airline capacity and renewed interest from international carriers.

The FAAN boss also disclosed that Nigeria’s scheduled airline capacity reached about 1.19 million seats in September 2026, representing a 37.4 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025. The Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos recorded a 24.1 per cent rise in scheduled seat capacity, the fastest growth among Africa’s 10 largest airports. Onabanjo-Kuku attributed the expansion to factors including currency reforms, new aircraft leasing arrangements and increased confidence among airlines operating in Nigeria, while noting that several carriers had resumed operations in the country.

Despite the increase in passenger numbers, Onabanjo-Kuku said Africa still accounts for only about one per cent of global air traffic despite having roughly 18 per cent of the world’s population. She noted that Nigeria, with a population exceeding 220 million people, records about 19.5 million passenger movements annually across 28 airports, highlighting the difference between the sector’s present performance and its potential. She identified funding constraints, infrastructure deficits, high operating costs, limited connectivity and the challenge of maintaining affordable airport charges while providing modern facilities as major issues requiring sustained attention.

FAAN has continued to invest in airport infrastructure and digital services, including runway rehabilitation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, terminal upgrades, airfield lighting improvements, automated e-passport gates, faster check-in systems and passenger-data analytics. The authority also obtained ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications in January 2026, while more than 3,500 personnel have received training and certification through International Civil Aviation Organisation and ACI programmes. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said the next generation of Nigerian airports must combine safety, efficiency, financial sustainability, technology, environmental responsibility and the ability to withstand disruptions such as economic shocks, cyber threats and infrastructure failures.