Nigeria’s air passenger traffic rises 11.9% to 18.8m

Nigeria's air passenger traffic surged by 11.9% to reach 18.8 million passengers in 2025, marking the country as the fourth-largest aviation market in Africa, according to Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, the Managing Director and CEO of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. Onabanjo-Kuku, who also serves as Vice-President of Airports Council International Africa, made the announcement during the ACI Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition 2026 held in Abuja.

She emphasized that the passenger volume marked a significant 11.9% increase year-on-year, highlighting Nigeria's growing influence in the African aviation industry. The conference, themed "Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience," gathered airport executives, aviation regulators, financiers, technology providers, and other stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.

Onabanjo-Kuku stressed that the theme underscored the urgent need for African aviation stakeholders to prepare the continent's airports for the rapidly evolving industry. She noted that despite Africa's large population, the continent accounts for only about one percent of global air traffic, and there are still substantial gaps in the sector.

She identified funding constraints, infrastructure deficits, high operating costs, and challenges in maintaining affordable airport charges while delivering modern facilities as major hurdles. FAAN has been focusing on addressing these issues by prioritizing safety, capacity, and infrastructure, while also pursuing digital transformation initiatives.