Nigeria Ranks Second in African Domestic Aviation with 10.5 Million Passengers in 2025
Nigeria has emerged as Africa's second-largest domestic aviation market, recording over 10.5 million passengers in 2025 - behind only South Africa's 28 million - according to data released at the ACI Africa Regional Conference & Exhibition in Luanda. Murtala Muhammed International Airport posted 11.8 per cent growth in air traffic movements, the fastest among Africa's leading airports, alongside a 34.4 per cent increase in cargo traffic, the highest among the continent's top ten. Egypt ranked third with 7.1 million domestic passengers, followed by Kenya (4.1 million), Morocco (3.8 million), Tanzania (3.6 million), Algeria (2.9 million), Ethiopia (1.7 million), Angola (1.4 million), and Mozambique (964,292).
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Managing Director Olubunmi Kuku, speaking at the conference's closing ceremony under the theme "Stronger Airports, Stronger Africa," described the figures as reflecting Nigeria's growing role as a key aviation, logistics, and commercial hub on the continent. Kuku stressed that African airports must evolve into financially sustainable, technologically advanced, and customer-centric hubs to meet future demand, noting that airports are increasingly critical economic enablers driving trade, tourism, and regional integration. She also extended a formal invitation to stakeholders for the next ACI Africa conference, scheduled to take place in Abuja from 19 to 25 September 2026, under the theme "Next Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience."
Source: Daily Trust