Nigeria Records 10.5 Million Domestic Passengers, Ranks Second in Africa for 2025

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Nigeria has arrived on Africa’s aviation map. As the ACI Africa Regional Conference & Exhibition drew to a close in Luanda, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Managing Director and Chief Executive Olubunmi Kuku took to the podium and laid out the numbers. They were striking.

The Murtala Muhammed International Airport recorded an 11.8% growth in air traffic movements in 2025, the fastest growth rate among Africa’s leading airports. In the same period, the airport achieved a 34.4% surge in cargo traffic, the highest among the continent’s Top 10 airports. These were not flukes. They were the payoff of deliberate, sustained effort.

The conference convened aviation stakeholders from across Africa under the theme “Stronger Airports, Stronger Africa. ” Kuku used the platform to argue that Nigeria’s performance signals something bigger than quarterly metrics. “These are not just statistics; they reflect the growing strategic importance of Nigeria as a key aviation, logistics, and commercial hub on the continent,” she told delegates.

The story extends well beyond Lagos. In the domestic segment, both Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos ranked among Africa’s Top 10 busiest airports in 2025. Nigeria now holds the position of Africa’s second-largest domestic aviation market, recording over 10.5 million passengers last year, trailing only South Africa.

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The data released at the end of the conference puts the pecking order in sharp relief. Egypt ranked third with 7.1 million passengers. Kenya came fourth with 4.1 million, and Morocco followed with 3.8 million. Tanzania recorded 3.6 million, Algeria 2.9 million, Ethiopia 1.7 million, Angola 1.4 million, and Mozambique rounded out the Top 10 with 964,292 passengers.

Nigeria’s gap over Egypt, more than 3.4 million passengers, underscores how decisively the country has separated itself from the pack. The momentum is real, and so is the confidence driving it.

What’s Fueling the Growth?

Raw numbers only tell part of the story. The sector’s rebound reflects a convergence of factors: better infrastructure management, stronger airline partnerships, improved passenger experience, and policy alignment between airport operators and government stakeholders.

Kuku has been direct about what she believes must come next. African airports, she argues, can no longer afford to function as passive transit points. They must evolve into agile, financially self-sustaining, technologically advanced, and customer-focused hubs. The economics of aviation on the continent demand nothing less.

She has consistently stressed that airports are no longer just places where passengers board planes. They are economic engines, generating trade, powering tourism, creating jobs, and deepening regional integration. The shift in thinking, from airports as infrastructure to airports as economic multipliers, shapes how FAAN now approaches its mandate.

“The future of African aviation will depend not only on infrastructure but also on partnership, innovation, resilience, and the courage to think long term,” Kuku said.

Nigeria to Host Next ACI Africa Conference in Abuja

Nigeria’s growing role in continental aviation received another vote of confidence at the Luanda conference. Kuku formally invited stakeholders to convene in Abuja from September 19 to 25, 2026, for the next ACI Africa Regional Conference. The theme, “Next Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience”, signals where the conversation is heading.

Hosting the conference carries both symbolic weight and practical responsibility. Abuja will need to deliver on the hospitality, logistics, and thematic substance that a continent-wide gathering demands. Kuku acknowledged that directly. “Hosting this next conference is both an honour and a responsibility; we look forward to receiving you with the hospitality, energy, and spirit for which Nigeria is proudly known,” she said.

The choice of Abuja as host city reflects Nigeria’s ambitions, not just as a major aviation market but as a thought leader in the broader conversation about where African aviation goes next.

Building an Aviation Future That Lasts

The Luanda conference ended on a forward-looking note, but the urgency beneath the optimism was palpable. Africa’s aviation sector faces structural challenges that statistics alone cannot resolve, including financing gaps, ageing infrastructure in many markets, regulatory inconsistencies, and the ongoing pressure to serve rapidly growing populations with constrained resources.

Kuku did not sidestep those realities. She called on stakeholders to match their commitment to advancing Africa’s aviation sector with long-term thinking that outlasts individual administrations or annual conference cycles. She also expressed appreciation to the Angolan government and its people, the host airport authorities, the ACI Africa Secretariat, and Sociedade Gestora de Aeroportos for delivering a successful event.

The applause in Luanda was well-earned. But the real work, building airports that Africa’s next generation will depend on, begins well before the September 2026 gathering in Abuja.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) And Answers

1. What made Nigeria’s airport performance in 2025 significant? 

Nigeria’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport recorded the fastest air traffic growth among Africa’s leading airports at 11.8% and the highest cargo traffic growth at 34.4% among the continent’s Top 10, making it the standout performer in 2025.

2. What position does Nigeria now hold in African aviation? 

Nigeria ranks as Africa’s second-largest domestic aviation market, recording over 10.5 million passengers in 2025. Only South Africa records more domestic passenger traffic on the continent.

3. When and where is the next ACI Africa Regional Conference? 

The next ACI Africa Regional Conference & Exhibition will take place in Abuja, Nigeria, from September 19 to 25, 2026, under the theme “Next Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience.”

4. Who is Olubunmi Kuku, and what is her role in Nigeria’s aviation sector? 

Olubunmi Kuku is the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). She oversees the management and development of Nigeria’s international and domestic airports and represents the country at continental aviation forums.

5. Why does Nigeria’s airport growth matter beyond passenger numbers? 

FAAN’s leadership frames airports as economic multipliers, engines for trade, tourism, job creation, and regional integration. Nigeria’s growth reflects a strategic shift from viewing airports as transit infrastructure to positioning them as commercial and logistics hubs, driving broader economic development.