Nigeria ranks fourth in Africa as air passenger traffic hits 18.8m

Nigeria recorded more than 18.8 million domestic and international air passengers in 2025, making it the fourth-largest aviation market in Africa, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said.

FAAN Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Olubunmi Kuku, disclosed this on Tuesday at the Airports Council International (ACI) Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition in Abuja.

Kuku, who is also Vice President of ACI Africa, said the passenger figure represented an 11.9 per cent increase from the previous year, reflecting continued expansion in Nigeria’s aviation market.

The conference, themed “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” brought together airport operators, aviation regulators, policymakers, investors, technology providers and other industry stakeholders from across Africa and beyond. FAAN is hosting the event in Abuja from September 19 to 25.

Kuku said growth in Nigeria was part of a broader expansion in African aviation, citing industry data showing increased passenger demand and airline capacity across the continent.

She said Nigeria’s growth had been supported by increased airline capacity and renewed interest from carriers operating in the country.

Data from aviation analytics firm OAG shows that Nigeria’s scheduled airline capacity reached about 1.19 million departing seats in September 2026, representing a 37.4 per cent increase from the same month in 2025. Nigeria recorded the fastest growth among Africa’s top 10 country markets during the period.

Kuku also said Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, recorded a 24.1 per cent increase in scheduled seat capacity in September, the highest growth among Africa’s 10 largest airports, according to the data.

She attributed the expansion to factors including currency reforms, new aircraft leasing arrangements and growing confidence among international airlines operating in Nigeria.

“Since the current Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development took office, several airlines have resumed operations in Nigeria, and more are expected soon,” she said.

According to Kuku, the growth in passenger traffic should not obscure the structural challenges facing African aviation.

She noted that the continent still accounts for only about one per cent of global air traffic despite having roughly 18 per cent of the world’s population.

She identified inadequate funding, infrastructure deficits, high operating costs, fragmented connectivity and the challenge of keeping airport charges affordable while maintaining international standards as some of the sector’s major constraints.

“In Nigeria alone, with a population exceeding 220 million, we record approximately 19.5 million passengers annually across 28 airports,” she said.

“The potential is vast, but the gap between where we are and where we could be remains substantial. This is not a reason for despair, it is a reason for deliberate, strategic action.”

Kuku said FAAN had focused on improving airport safety, expanding capacity and upgrading critical infrastructure, including runway rehabilitation, terminal improvements and airfield-lighting upgrades.

She added that the authority was deploying digital systems to improve passenger processing and airport security, including faster check-in systems, automated e-passport gates and passenger-data analytics.

The FAAN boss further disclosed that the authority obtained ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications in January 2026, covering quality management and environmental management.

She also said more than 3,500 FAAN personnel had received training and certification through programmes run by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and ACI.