Nigeria’s Aviation Market Hits 18.8m Passengers, Airline Capacity Rises 37.4% – FAAN

Nigeria’s aviation market recorded significant growth in 2025, with passenger traffic rising to more than 18.8 million domestic and international passengers, representing an 11.9 per cent year-on-year increase, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said.

The managing director/chief executive of FAAN and vice president, Airports Council International (ACI) Africa, Mrs Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, disclosed this yesterday at the opening of the ACI Africa Regional Conference & Exhibition 2026 in Abuja.

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Onabanjo-Kuku said the growth reflected the expanding potential of Nigeria’s aviation market, noting that the country now ranks as the fourth-largest aviation market in Africa.

She also disclosed that Nigeria’s scheduled airline capacity reached 1.19 million seats in September 2026, representing a 37.4 per cent increase over the same period in 2025.

According to her, the growth was the fastest recorded among Africa’s top 10 aviation markets and was driven by currency reforms, new aircraft leasing arrangements and increasing confidence among international airlines seeking to operate in Nigeria.

She said several airlines had resumed operations in Nigeria since the current minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development assumed office, with more expected to return to the market.

Onabanjo-Kuku also highlighted growth at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, saying its scheduled seat capacity increased by 24.1 per cent in September, the fastest growth among Africa’s 10 largest airports.

She said the figures demonstrated the growing demand for air travel across the continent and Nigeria’s position within Africa’s aviation expansion.

“According to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), African airlines recorded a 6.4 per cent year-on-year increase in international passenger demand in July 2026,” she said.

She noted that this compared with a 0.1 per cent decline in global international passenger demand during the same period.

Onabanjo-Kuku added that Africa’s overall passenger demand grew by 5.2 per cent, placing the continent second behind Latin America and the Caribbean and above the global average growth of 0.2 per cent.

However, she cautioned that the growth in passenger traffic was not enough to close the continent’s aviation development gap.

“Africa accounts for just 1 per cent of global air traffic despite having 18 per cent of the world’s population,” she said, adding that load factors remained below global averages while the financial viability of African airlines remained fragile.

She said Nigeria, with a population of more than 220 million, recorded approximately 19.5 million passengers annually across 28 airports, underscoring the significant growth potential of the sector.

According to her, funding constraints, infrastructure deficits, high operating costs, fragmented connectivity and pressure to keep airport charges low while providing world-class facilities remained major challenges confronting African aviation.

She said the challenges formed part of the issues the conference, themed “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” was designed to address.

Speaking on FAAN’s transformation agenda since 2023, Onabanjo-Kuku said the authority had prioritised safety, infrastructure modernisation and capacity expansion.

She said FAAN had rehabilitated a major runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, upgraded terminals and improved airfield lighting while maintaining airport operations.

She added that the authority had established a Passenger Experience Hub to improve speed, predictability, comfort and assistance for passengers.

On digital transformation, she said FAAN was deploying fast check-in systems, automated e-passport gates, enhanced security systems and passenger-data analytics to improve airport operations.

She disclosed that FAAN achieved dual ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications in January 2026, covering quality management and environmental management.

The FAAN boss also said more than 3,500 personnel had been trained and certified through International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and ACI programmes as part of efforts to strengthen human capital.

On cargo development, she said FAAN had retooled its Directorate of Cargo Development Services and was working with relevant stakeholders to position Nigerian airports as logistics platforms for regional and international trade.

Looking ahead, Onabanjo-Kuku identified financial sustainability, intelligent infrastructure, operational resilience, human capital and partnerships as five key imperatives for the next generation of African airports.

She said airports must diversify their revenue sources beyond aeronautical charges by developing logistics parks, hospitality, retail, data-driven services and airport-city developments.

She also stressed the need for investment in predictive maintenance, reliable power supply, digital operational systems and data analytics to improve airport efficiency and resilience.

On partnerships, she called for greater collaboration between governments, private investors, airlines, technology providers, logistics companies and development finance institutions.

Onabanjo-Kuku urged African governments to establish predictable and commercially disciplined frameworks for airport infrastructure investment, while giving airport managers clear mandates, adequate resources and accountability for measurable results.

She also called on development partners and financial institutions to treat African airports as strategic economic infrastructure deserving sustained investment.

She said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) provided opportunities for deeper regional connectivity and aviation growth.

“Aviation is ultimately about connecting people,” she said, adding that African airports must be developed to meet the expectations of passengers and support the continent’s economic ambitions.

She said the decade ahead offered significant opportunities for African aviation, despite challenges posed by currency crises, health emergencies, supply-chain disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty.

“We have shown that African aviation does not merely survive, it adapts, innovates, and grows,” she said.