Nigeria recorded more than 18.8 million domestic and international air passengers in 2025, becoming the fourth-largest aviation market in Africa, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said.
Key Highlights
- Nigeria recorded more than 18.8 million domestic and international air passengers in 2025, making it Africa’s fourth-largest aviation market.
- FAAN Managing Director Olubunmi Kuku disclosed that passenger traffic increased by 11.9% year-on-year.
- Nigeria’s scheduled airline capacity reached 1.19 million seats in September 2026, representing a 37.4% increase from the same period in 2025.
- Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, recorded a 24.1% increase in scheduled seat capacity, the fastest growth among Africa’s 10 largest airports in September.
- Kuku attributed the expansion to currency reforms, new aircraft leasing arrangements and increased confidence among international airlines.
FAAN Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Olubunmi Kuku, disclosed this on Tuesday, while delivering her welcome address at the Airports Council International Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Abuja.
Kuku, who is also vice president of Airports Council International Africa, said the passenger figure represented an 11.9 per cent year-on-year increase, reflecting the continued expansion of Nigeria’s aviation sector.
“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 percent,” she said.
The conference with the theme: “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” brought together airport operators, regulators, aviation industry leaders, financiers, technology providers and other stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.
Kuku said the theme is not merely a subject for discussion but a strategic call for African aviation stakeholders to improve airport performance and strengthen the sector’s resilience.
“This gathering of minds, this convergence of vision, could not have come at a more consequential moment for African aviation,” she said.
She also cited recent industry data showing continued growth in Africa’s aviation market.
According to her, International Air Transport Association (IATA) figures show that international passenger demand among African airlines increased by 6.4 percent year-on-year in July 2026, while global international passenger demand declined by 0.1 percent during the same period.
She added that overall passenger demand in Africa grew by 5.2 percent, making the continent the second-fastest-growing aviation region after Latin America and the Caribbean.
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This is not a marginal improvement. This continent is on the move,” Kuku said.
The FAAN chief said Nigeria is contributing significantly to the continent’s growth through increased scheduled airline capacity and renewed interest from international carriers.
She disclosed that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos recorded the fastest growth in scheduled seat capacity among Africa’s 10 largest airports in September, with a 24.1 percent increase.
Nigeria’s total scheduled airline capacity for September 2026 stood at 1.19 million seats, representing a 37.4 percent increase compared with the same period in 2025, she said.
Kuku attributed the expansion to currency reforms, new aircraft leasing arrangements and growing confidence among international airlines operating in or seeking to enter the Nigerian market.
She said several airlines had resumed operations in Nigeria since the current Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development assumed office, adding that more carriers were expected to return.
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“These figures are not abstract. They represent millions of Africans connecting with family, doing business, accessing healthcare, and exploring opportunities,” she said.
“They represent livelihoods. They represent economic growth. They represent the future we are building together.”
Despite the growth, Kuku cautioned that the figures do not mean Africa’s aviation challenges have been fully resolved, noting that the continent still accounts for only about one percent of global air traffic despite being home to approximately 18 percent of the world’s population.
According to her, funding constraints, infrastructure deficits, high operating costs, inadequate connectivity and the difficulty of maintaining affordable airport charges while providing modern facilities remained major challenges for the continent’s aviation industry.
Kuku said addressing the challenges would require sustained investment, stronger collaboration among stakeholders and a deliberate effort to build airports capable of supporting Africa’s projected aviation growth.
