FAAN's Onabanjo-Kuku Advocates for Aviation Investment

Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, the managing director and chief executive officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and vice president of the Airports Council International Africa, urged for increased investment and strategic reforms in Africa's aviation sector during her speech at the ACI Africa Regional Conference & Exhibition 2026 in Abuja. She emphasized the theme “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” noting that Africa's aviation sector growth presents significant opportunities for stakeholders.

Data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) indicated a 6.4 percent year-on-year increase in international passenger demand for African airlines in July 2026, contrasting with a global decline of 0.1 percent. Nigeria's aviation market was identified as the fourth-largest in Africa, with over 18.8 million passengers recorded in 2025, an 11.9 percent increase.

The Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos saw a 24.1 percent rise in scheduled seat capacity in September 2026, while Nigeria's total scheduled airline capacity reached 1.19 million seats, a 37.4 percent increase from the previous year. Onabanjo-Kuku acknowledged ongoing structural challenges in Africa's aviation industry, including funding constraints and infrastructure gaps.