There is growing concern among domestic airline operators over a sustained decline in passenger traffic on local routes in Nigeria. This trend has also alarmed industry stakeholders, prompting urgent discussions on strategies to stimulate domestic air travel.
Recent data from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) reveal that passenger traffic at the country’s local airports has fallen by 11 percent over the past three years. Passenger numbers dropped from 14,057,060 in 2022 to 13,409,701 in 2023, and further to 12,543,153 in 2024.
Industry sources attribute this decline primarily to rising airfares driven by inflationary pressures, deteriorating living standards, and a shrinking pool of disposable income amid Nigeria’s challenging economic environment.
A closer look at the figures shows that in 2022, Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos recorded 4,345,840 passengers, while Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja saw 5,108,388 travellers. By 2023, Abuja’s domestic terminal handled 4,851,761 passengers, surpassing Lagos, which recorded 4,348,927. In 2024, Lagos airport passenger traffic further declined to 4,134,211, with Abuja recording 4,372,091. Port Harcourt and Kano airports registered 1,026,060 and 493,510 passengers, respectively.
The situation worsens as airline executives report further declines in early 2025. The Managing Director of Ibom Air, Mr. George Uriesi, revealed that passenger traffic fell by 27 percent in the first months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, underscoring the critical state of the domestic aviation market.
“No airline can generate revenue if flights do not operate. Airlines are the key drivers in the aviation ecosystem,” Uriesi emphasized.
Industry experts believe that reversing this downward trend requires collaborative efforts between airlines, the aviation sector, and the federal government to encourage greater air travel.
Captain Ado Sanusi, Managing Director of Aero Contractors, pointed out that leisure travel and tourism have been particularly affected due to ticket prices, which have become prohibitive for many. “When travel is not essential, passengers opt out. To stimulate demand, we need to explore ways to reduce fares, including promotional pricing. Equally important is addressing the multiple taxes imposed on the sector, which significantly inflate ticket costs despite fixed aviation fuel prices,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gbenga Onitilo, Managing Director of Travelden, a subsidiary of Finchglow Holdings Ltd, described the 2024 traffic slump not merely as an economic issue but as a commercial wake-up call for domestic airlines.
In a statement titled “Why Domestic Airlines’ Fortunes Dipped in 2024: Beyond the Economy, a Commercial Strategy Deficit,” Onitilo argued that the Nigerian domestic airline market has structural weaknesses masked by occasional demand spikes and fare increases.
“The runway is available and demand exists,” he said, “but without harmonised fleet strategies, benchmarked staffing models, data-driven route planning, and professional revenue management guided by real expertise, the sector will continue to fall short of its potential. Execution to global standards, managed locally with discipline, is crucial.”
Despite the recent downturn, industry observers remain cautiously optimistic. Data from the latter half of 2025 indicate a potential recovery for the domestic airline subsector. An industry operator noted at a recent public forum that the decline in passenger numbers for 2023 and 2024 appears to have reversed significantly in 2025. “This improvement coincides with greater stability in the exchange rate and easing inflationary pressures,” the operator added.
As the sector navigates these challenges, the focus remains on strategic reforms and collaborative efforts to restore confidence and growth in Nigeria’s domestic aviation industry.
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Decline in Domestic Passenger Traffic Raises Concerns for Nigerian Airlines
