Nigeria Achieves 1 Million Domestic Aviation Seats in 2026

In October 2026, Nigeria's scheduled domestic aviation capacity hit 1 million seats for the first time, reflecting a 54.6% increase year-on-year, according to OAG Africa’s Aviation Market Monthly Airline Data Updates. This growth included the addition of 362,600 domestic seats, making Nigeria the fastest-growing domestic aviation market among Africa's major players.

South Africa remains the largest domestic market with 1.6 million seats, despite a 1.6% decline from the previous year. Nigeria's capacity increase places it second in Africa, surpassing Egypt's 420,000 seats and Morocco's 280,000 seats.

When combining domestic and international capacities, Nigeria ranked fifth overall with 1.35 million seats, a 44.5% increase from 932,300 seats in October 2025. The rise in scheduled domestic seats has led to increased congestion and delays in Nigeria's aviation system.

Remi Jibodu, Chief Operating Officer of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, mentioned the need for a coordinated slot system at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 to alleviate these issues.