The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, has revealed that Nigeria recorded more than 18.8m domestic and international air passengers in 2025, emerging as the fourth-largest aviation market in Africa.
Onabanjo-Kuku disclosed the figure on Tuesday while delivering her welcome address at the ACI Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Abuja.
The FAAN MD spoke in her capacity as Vice President of the Airports Council International Africa.
The FAAN chief said the passenger figure represented an 11.9 per cent year-on-year increase, describing the growth as evidence of Nigeria’s expanding role in the continent’s aviation market.
She said, “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.”
The conference, themed “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” brought together aviation leaders, airport executives, regulators, financiers, technology providers and other stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.
Onabanjo-Kuku said the theme goes beyond the immediate discussions at the conference, representing what she described as a strategic challenge for the continent’s aviation industry.
She stresses, “This gathering of minds, this convergence of vision, could not have come at a more consequential moment for African aviation.
“The theme before us, ‘Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience’ is not merely a conference title. It is a strategic mandate. It is a call to action. It also reflects the journey we are collectively undertaking as a continent.”
Onabanjo-Kuku while pointing to recent industry figures indicating continued expansion in African aviation, the FAAN MD cited International Air Transport Association data showing that African airlines recorded a 6.4 per cent year-on-year increase in international passenger demand in July 2026, compared with a 0.1 per cent decline in global international demand during the same period.
She also said overall passenger demand in Africa increased by 5.2 per cent, placing the continent behind only Latin America and the Caribbean in growth during the period.
“This is not a marginal improvement. This continent is on the move,” she told delegates.
According to her, Nigeria is contributing significantly to that movement, with growth in scheduled airline capacity and renewed interest from carriers operating in the country’s market.
She further added that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, recorded the fastest growth in scheduled seat capacity among Africa’s 10 largest airports in September, with a 24.1 per cent increase.
She said, Nigeria’s total scheduled airline capacity for September 2026,, stood at 1.19m seats, representing a 37.4 per cent increase over the corresponding period of the previous year.
Onabanjo-Kuku attributed the expansion to factors including currency reforms, new aircraft leasing arrangements, and growing confidence among international airlines seeking to operate in Nigeria.
Touching on the improvement, “Since the current Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development took office, several airlines have resumed operations in Nigeria, and more are expected soon.
“These figures are not abstract. They represent millions of Africans connecting with family, doing business, accessing healthcare, and exploring opportunities.
“They represent livelihoods. They represent economic growth. They represent the future we are building together.”
Despite the positive figures, the FAAN Managing Director cautioned against interpreting passenger growth as evidence that the continent’s aviation challenges have been resolved.
Africa, she said, still accounts for only about one per cent of global air traffic despite having approximately 18 per cent of the world’s population.
She identified funding constraints, infrastructure deficits, high operating costs, fragmented connectivity and pressure to maintain affordable airport charges while providing world-class facilities as some of the sector’s persistent challenges.
She noted, “In Nigeria alone, with a population exceeding 220m , we record approximately 19.5m passengers annually across 28 airports.
“The potential is vast, but the gap between where we are and where we could be remains substantial. This is not a reason for despair, it is a reason for deliberate, strategic action.”
She said the authority had focused on improving safety, increasing airport capacity and modernising critical infrastructure.
Among the projects highlighted were the rehabilitation of a major runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, terminal upgrades and improvements to airfield lighting, all undertaken while airport operations continued.
“We have focused on the fundamentals: safe runways, functional terminals, and reliable systems,” she said.
The authority said it’s also deploying digital technologies, including faster check-in systems, automated e-passport gates, enhanced security systems and passenger-data analytics.
On quality management, Onabanjo-Kuku said FAAN achieved ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications in January 2026, describing the certifications as evidence of a systematic commitment to quality, environmental responsibility and continuous improvement.
She further disclosed that more than 3,500 FAAN personnel had been trained and certified through International Civil Aviation Organisation and ACI programmes.
