Nigeria’s domestic air passenger traffic hit 13.09 million in 2025, reflecting steady growth in local air travel demand across the country.
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This is according to data from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) contained in its 2025 passenger traffic analysis report made available to Nairametrics.
The figures highlight a continued dominance of domestic routes in Nigeria’s aviation market, even as international travel records faster recovery momentum in recent years.
The data also shows that domestic travel remains the backbone of Nigeria’s aviation sector, accounting for nearly three-quarters of total passenger traffic in 2025.
What the data is saying
Nigeria’s air traffic data shows a steady increase in both domestic and international passenger volumes in 2025, with domestic travel maintaining a dominant share of total activity.
- Domestic passenger traffic rose from about 12.54 million in 2024 to 13.09 million in 2025, representing a growth rate of about 4.33%, according to the report.
- International passenger traffic increased from about 4.40 million in 2024 to about 4.85 million in 2025, reflecting a stronger growth rate of about 10.26%.
- Total passenger traffic across Nigerian airports increased from about 16.94 million in 2024 to about 17.94 million in 2025, a growth of roughly 5.9%.
Domestic travel accounted for 72.96% of total passenger traffic in 2025, while international travel made up 27.04%.
The FAAN report noted that while domestic traffic dipped between 2022 and 2023, it returned to growth in 2024 and continued its upward trend in 2025, while international traffic maintained a more consistent recovery path.
Get up to speed
Nigeria’s aviation sector has been on a gradual recovery path in recent years, especially in international travel and cargo operations.
International passenger traffic at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport rose by 6.5% in 2024 to 4.3 million, compared to 4.04 million in 2023.
- During the same period, international cargo increased by 11.31% to 150 million kilograms, while aircraft movements grew by 7.69%.
- However, domestic operations weakened in 2024. Domestic passenger traffic fell by 6.46% to 12.5 million from 13.37 million in 2023, while domestic aircraft movements also declined by 6.81%.
Providing further operational insight specific to domestic operations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), Remi Jibodu, Acting Chief Operating Officer of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited and Head of Aeronautical & Cargo Services, told Nairametrics in an exclusive interview that the terminal currently records an average of 60 to 65 flight departures daily.
He noted that the Lagos–Abuja route remains the busiest domestic air corridor from MMA2, driven by Abuja’s status as the nation’s capital and a major business destination, while Asaba and Port Harcourt also rank among the busiest routes operating from the terminal.
What you should know
Nigeria continues to rank among Africa’s major aviation markets, with rising capacity and passenger demand trends reinforcing its regional position.
According to OAG data, Nigeria’s total airline capacity stood at 1,013,999 available one-way departing seats in June 2026, representing a 21.3% increase from June 2025. The figure reflects scheduled airline seat capacity for June 2026.
- On the domestic front, Nigeria ranked second in Africa in terms of airline seat capacity, behind only South Africa.
- Domestic seat capacity rose 21.7% year-on-year to 730,216 in June 2026, making it the fastest-growing domestic aviation markets on the continent.
- Despite this growth, Nigeria still trails larger markets such as Egypt, Morocco, and Ethiopia in overall aviation capacity. However, the expansion highlights strengthening airline schedules and improving passenger demand trends across the country.
The FAAN passenger traffic data further reinforces the central role of domestic aviation in Nigeria, even as international operations continue to recover at a faster pace.
