Nigeria’s aviation sector is on the verge of a major transformation as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development roll out ambitious plans to tackle decades-old airport infrastructure gaps.
Industry stakeholders believe these measures will not only improve passenger experience but also unlock new revenue streams for airlines.
Speaking at the 29th League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) Annual Conference in Lagos, Air Peace Chairman and CEO, Dr. Allen Onyema, identified inadequate airport facilities as one of the most critical obstacles to airline growth and profitability.
He pointed to the absence of proper transit infrastructure at key airports, which has long undermined Nigeria’s potential to function as a true regional hub costing carriers both passengers and revenue.
Onyema explained that airlines in West and Central Africa lose competitiveness when connecting passengers must clear immigration, undergo customs checks, and recheck baggage simply to transit through Nigeria a process that often drives them to other African airports.
The lack of seamless connectivity, he said, has especially hindered domestic carriers from integrating regional routes into global networks.
Welcoming the government’s recent interventions, including plans to rebuild Lagos airport facilities for modern transit operations, Onyema expressed confidence in the administration’s commitment. With sustained focus, he said, Nigeria could possess competitive infrastructure within two years, rivaling Africa’s leading aviation hubs.
He stressed that such upgrades amount to “indirect financing” for airlines by reducing operational inefficiencies, cutting avoidable costs, and creating conditions for sustainable expansion.
With the right facilities in place, Onyema believes Nigerian carriers could match the success of Africa’s top airlines within the next decade.
