BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, has called for increased investment, stronger infrastructure and strategic partnerships to unlock Africa’s aviation potential.
Kuku, who is also Vice-President of the Airports Council International Africa (ACI Africa), made the call at the opening of the 2026 ACI Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition held at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja.
Speaking on the theme, “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” she said the continent’s growing passenger traffic presented significant opportunities but warned that structural challenges must be addressed to sustain the industry’s development.
According to her, African airlines recorded a 6.4 per cent year-on-year increase in international passenger demand in July 2026, compared with a 0.1 per cent decline in global international demand during the same period.
She said Africa’s overall passenger demand grew by 5.2 per cent, reflecting the increasing demand for air travel across the continent.
Kuku disclosed that Nigeria’s aviation market ranked fourth-largest in Africa, recording more than 18.8 million domestic and international passengers in 2025, representing an 11.9 per cent increase over the previous year.
She added that Nigeria’s scheduled airline capacity reached 1.19 million seats in September 2026, a 37.4 per cent increase from the same period in 2025, according to OAG data.
She attributed the growth to currency reforms, aircraft leasing agreements and growing confidence among international airlines operating in Nigeria.
However, the FAAN boss noted that Africa accounted for only one per cent of global air traffic despite having approximately 18 per cent of the world’s population.
She identified funding constraints, infrastructure gaps, high operating costs, limited connectivity and the pressure to maintain low charges while delivering world-class facilities as major challenges confronting the industry.
“In Nigeria alone, with a population exceeding 220 million, we record approximately 19.5 million passengers annually across 28 airports,” she said.
Kuku said the gap between Africa’s current aviation performance and its potential required deliberate action, stronger institutions and collaboration among governments, airlines, airport operators and investors.
Speaking on FAAN’s transformation efforts since 2023, she said the authority had prioritised safety, infrastructure modernisation and passenger experience.
She listed the rehabilitation of a major runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, terminal upgrades and improvements to airfield lighting among the authority’s interventions.
According to her, FAAN established a Passenger Experience Hub to improve passenger processing, comfort, predictability and access to assistance.
She said the authority was also deploying fast check-in systems, automated e-passport gates, enhanced security systems and passenger-data analytics to improve airport operations.
Kuku disclosed that FAAN achieved ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications in January 2026, describing the achievement as a demonstration of its commitment to quality management, environmental responsibility and continuous improvement.
She further said more than 3,500 personnel had been trained and certified through programmes organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and ACI.
On cargo development, Kuku said FAAN had retooled its Directorate of Cargo Development Services to position Nigerian airports as logistics platforms for regional and international trade.
Looking ahead, she identified financial sustainability, intelligent infrastructure, operational resilience, human capital and partnerships as key priorities for next-generation African airports.
She called for the diversification of airport revenues beyond aeronautical charges through the development of logistics parks, hospitality, retail, data-driven services and airport-city projects.
“We must diversify revenue beyond aeronautical charges. Our airports must become commercial ecosystems—anchors for logistics parks, hospitality, retail, data-driven services, and airport-city development,” she said.
Kuku also advocated investment in predictive maintenance, reliable power supply, digital operational systems and data analytics to improve airport efficiency and decision-making.
She described resilience as an organisational capability rather than an emergency plan, urging airport operators to strengthen their capacity to respond quickly to disruptions.
The FAAN chief executive stressed the importance of continuous training and professional development, saying a competent and accountable workforce was essential to managing the increasingly complex airport environment.
She called for commercially viable partnerships between governments, private investors, airlines, technology providers, logistics companies and development finance institutions to address investment and expertise gaps.
Kuku urged African governments to establish predictable, long-term and commercially disciplined frameworks for airport infrastructure investment.
She also called for clear mandates, predictable resources and greater operational flexibility for airport managers, alongside accountability for measurable results.
The FAAN boss said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) offered opportunities to strengthen regional connectivity and support economic integration.
She urged airport leaders to prioritise projects that improve safety, expand capacity, generate revenue and strengthen resilience, noting that resources could not fund every project simultaneously.
“The opportunity before us is extraordinary. The African Continental Free Trade Area creates the framework for integrated regional connectivity. The Single African Air Transport Market offers the policy architecture for liberalised air travel,” she said.
Kuku said Africa’s aviation future depended on the ability of stakeholders to convert passenger growth into sustainable infrastructure, improved services and stronger economic opportunities.
“Every passenger who passes through our airports carries dreams, responsibilities, and aspirations. We must build airports worthy of that trust,” she said.
She called on delegates to use the conference to share experiences, strengthen partnerships and develop practical solutions for the next generation of African airports.
Kuku welcomed participants to Abuja on behalf of FAAN, the Nigerian Government and ACI Africa, expressing hope that the gathering would produce enduring partnerships and transformative outcomes for the continent’s aviation industry.
Olapeju is a journalist and aviation reporter.
