Nigeria recorded more than 18.8 million domestic and international air passengers in 2025, emerging as the fourth-largest aviation market in Africa, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Olubunmi Kuku, has said.
Kuku disclosed this on Tuesday while delivering her welcome address at the Airports Council International (ACI) Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Abuja, where she spoke in her capacity as Vice President of ACI Africa.
According to her, the passenger figure represents an 11.9 per cent year-on-year increase, reflecting continued expansion in Nigeria’s aviation market.
“Our aviation market now ranks as the fourth-largest in Africa, with over 18.8m domestic and international passengers recorded in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 11.9 per cent,” Kuku said.
The conference, themed “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” brought together airport operators, aviation executives, regulators, financiers, technology providers and other industry stakeholders from Africa and beyond.
Kuku said the theme was particularly relevant to the continent’s aviation sector, describing it not merely as a conference theme but as a strategic call for the industry to strengthen its capacity, resilience and long-term performance.
She cited recent industry data indicating that African aviation continues to expand despite persistent structural challenges.
According to Kuku, data from the International Air Transport Association showed that African airlines recorded a 6.4 per cent year-on-year increase in international passenger demand in July 2026, while global international demand declined by 0.1 per cent during the same period.
She added that overall passenger demand in Africa increased by 5.2 per cent, placing the continent behind only Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of growth during the period.
“This is not a marginal improvement. This continent is on the move,” Kuku told delegates.
She said Nigeria was contributing significantly to the growth, pointing to increased scheduled airline capacity and renewed interest from international carriers operating in the country.
Kuku also cited data showing that Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, recorded a 24.1 per cent year-on-year increase in scheduled seat capacity in September 2026. The airport had about 470,000 scheduled seats during the month, an increase of approximately 90,600 seats from September 2025. (Nairametrics)
Nigeria’s total scheduled airline capacity for September 2026 stood at about 1.19 million seats, representing a 37.4 per cent increase over the corresponding period in 2025, according to OAG data cited in industry reports. (Nairametrics)
Kuku attributed the expansion to factors including currency reforms, new aircraft leasing arrangements and increasing confidence among international airlines interested in the Nigerian market.
“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.
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She said the growth in passenger traffic should be understood beyond statistics, noting that air transport facilitates family connections, business activity, access to healthcare and other economic opportunities.
“These figures are not abstract. They represent millions of Africans connecting with family, doing business, accessing healthcare, and exploring opportunities,” she said.
However, Kuku cautioned that the growth recorded across the continent should not obscure the significant challenges facing African aviation.
She noted that Africa still accounts for only about one per cent of global air traffic despite being home to approximately 18 per cent of the world’s population.
Among the challenges she identified were limited access to funding, inadequate infrastructure, high operating costs, fragmented connectivity and the difficulty of maintaining affordable airport charges while investing in modern facilities.
“In Nigeria alone, with a population exceeding 220m, we record approximately 19.5m passengers annually across 28 airports,” she said.
Kuku said the disparity between the continent’s existing aviation performance and its potential called for deliberate and strategic action from governments, regulators, airport operators, airlines and other stakeholders.
She said FAAN had consequently prioritised safety improvements, airport capacity expansion and the modernisation of critical infrastructure.
Among the projects highlighted were the rehabilitation of a major runway at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, terminal upgrades and improvements to airfield lighting, with the projects being executed while airport operations continued.
“We have focused on the fundamentals: safe runways, functional terminals, and reliable systems,” she said.
Kuku also disclosed that FAAN was deploying digital technologies aimed at improving the passenger experience and airport operations. These include faster check-in systems, automated e-passport gates, enhanced security systems and passenger-data analytics.
On quality management, she said FAAN obtained ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications in January 2026, describing the achievement as evidence of the authority’s commitment to quality management, environmental responsibility and continuous improvement.
She further disclosed that more than 3,500 FAAN personnel had undergone training and certification through programmes organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and Airports Council International.
The FAAN chief said the combination of infrastructure development, technology, staff training and improved operational systems would remain important to ensuring that Nigeria’s aviation sector could accommodate rising demand while maintaining safety, efficiency and service standards.
The broader capacity trend is also reflected in recent OAG data, which showed Nigeria recording the fastest growth in scheduled airline capacity among Africa’s 10 largest aviation markets in September 2026. (Nairametrics)