The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, has described airports as critical economic assets that go beyond serving as transit hubs, playing a central role in driving trade, tourism, employment, and regional integration.
Kuku made this known on the sidelines of the Airports Council International regional conference and exhibition in Luanda, Angola, where she emphasised the need for long-term thinking in Africa’s aviation sector.
She noted that the future of aviation on the continent would depend not only on infrastructure development but also on partnerships, innovation, resilience, and strategic planning.
Highlighting Nigeria’s growing aviation profile, Kuku pointed to recent data showing that Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos recorded an 11.8 percent increase in air traffic movements in 2025, the highest among Africa’s leading airports.
She also disclosed that Lagos ranked among the continent’s top airports in cargo operations, with a 34.4 percent increase, the highest within the top 10.
In terms of domestic travel, she said both Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos ranked among Africa’s top 10 airports.
Citing industry data, Kuku added that Nigeria has become Africa’s second-largest domestic passenger market, recording over 10.5 million passengers and a 10 percent year-on-year growth.
She stressed that these figures reflect Nigeria’s rising importance as a key aviation, logistics, and commercial hub, calling for the development of modern airports that are efficient, technologically driven, financially sustainable, and customer-focused.
