The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says Nigeria now has the fourth-largest aviation market in Africa, with more than 18.8 million domestic and international passengers recorded in 2025.
FAAN Managing Director, Olubunmi Onabajo-Kuku, disclosed this at the 2026 Airports Council International (ACI) Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition in Abuja.
She said Nigeria’s passenger traffic grew by 11.9 per cent year-on-year in 2025, while the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, recorded a 24.1 per cent increase in scheduled seat capacity in September, the fastest growth among Africa’s 10 largest airports.
According to her, Africa’s international passenger demand increased by 6.4 per cent year-on-year in July 2026, compared with a 0.1 per cent decline globally.
Onabajo-Kuku also said Nigeria’s total scheduled airline capacity reached 1.19 million seats in September 2026, representing a 37.4 per cent increase from the same period in 2025 and the fastest growth among Africa’s top 10 aviation markets.
She said sustaining the growth would require investment in airport systems, including predictive maintenance, reliable power, digital operational systems and data analytics.
The FAAN chief also stressed the importance of operational resilience, skilled human capital and stronger partnerships with private investors, airlines, technology providers, logistics companies and development finance institutions.
She said the ongoing rehabilitation and upgrade of the oldest terminal at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport was part of efforts to improve Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure and capacity.