Nigeria Leads Africa with 37.4% Airline Capacity Growth

In September 2026, African airlines recorded an 8% increase in international passenger demand, marking the second-highest growth among global regions, just behind Latin America's 8.2%. This data was reported by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The growth surpassed the global average of 0.4%, although African carriers expanded their available seat capacity by 8.8%, outpacing passenger demand and resulting in a decline in the passenger load factor to 74.8%. Nigeria experienced the fastest scheduled airline capacity growth among Africa's ten largest aviation markets, with a 37.4% year-on-year increase, adding 322,800 seats to reach a total of 1.19 million.

This expansion was attributed to currency reforms, a new aircraft leasing agreement, and increased confidence among airlines. Overall, scheduled airline capacity across Africa reached 25.8 million seats, reflecting a 9.4% year-on-year increase.