Nigeria's Air Travel Growth Stagnates Over Last Decade

Over the last ten years, Nigeria's air travel growth has stagnated, with domestic passenger movement remaining around 12 million and international passenger movement at approximately 4 million. In 2016, Nigeria recorded a growth of 6.3%, with total passenger traffic reaching 15,232,597.

However, by 2023, passenger traffic declined by 6.46%, resulting in a total of 15.7 million passengers. The stagnation is attributed to various factors, including low disposable income and the increasing preference for private jet travel, which has surged from 44 in 2005 to 157 in 2024.

Captain Sam Caulcrick, a former rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, noted that affluent individuals are bypassing commercial airlines, impacting the revenue of scheduled operations. In contrast, countries like Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa have experienced significant growth in air travel, with Egypt's Cairo International Airport projected to handle 30 million passengers by 2025.