Nigerian Airports Record 15.2m Passengers, 227,834 Aircraft Movements

By Chinedu Eze

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said a total of 15.2 million passengers passed through Nigerian airports in 227,834 aircraft movements in 2018.

This was revealed in FAAN’s 2018 Annual Report obtained yesterday by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

The report posted an increase of 2.5 million passengers from 12.7 million passengers recorded in 2017 representing 19.11 per cent increase.

It also revealed an increase of 27,068 from the 200,766 aircraft movements recorded in 2017 representing 11.48 per cent increase.

According to the report, 11.02 million passengers travelled within the country (domestic), while a total of 4.2 passengers traveled into and out of the country (international) through the airports during the period under review.

The data further showed that 182,924 domestic and 44,910 international flights were operated across the nation’s 22 airports during the period.

The total cargo movement, according to FAAN, stood at 245.89 million tonnes per kilogramme compared to the 169.50 million tonnes per kilogramme recorded in 2017.

The statistics also indicated that 174.91 million tonnes per kilogramme arrived in the country through the airports, while 70.89 million tonnes departed during the year.

The report on the four major airports in the country showed that Murtala Muhammed Airports, Lagos, (Domestic and International Wing) recorded the highest passengers and aircraft movements during the period.

The data indicated that Lagos airport recorded 6.7 million passengers comprising 2.8 million on domestic routes and 2.9 million on the international routes. The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja recorded 4.6 million passengers comprising 3.7 million on domestic routes, while the international routes recorded 941,182 passengers.

FAAN also disclosed that Port Harcourt International Airport recorded 1.14 million passengers comprising 1.05 million domestic passengers and 92,050 international.

Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano recorded 567,537 passengers comprising 398,266 domestic and 169,271 international passengers.

The monthly breakdown showed that 1.1 million passengers comprising 572,006 arrivals and 583,779 departures in 17,112 aircraft movements were recorded in the month of January.

In February, 1.05 million passengers comprising 524,257 arrivals and 533,161 departures in 18,224 aircraft movements were recorded.

The statistics also showed that a total of 1.2 million passengers comprising of 594,532 arrivals and 625,449 departures in 19,694 aircraft movements were recorded in March.

It further revealed that 1.28 million passengers comprising 639,265 arrivals and 650,068 departures in 17,791 aircraft movements were recorded in April.

The month of May saw 1.22 million passengers comprising 602,637 arrivals and 618,508 departures in 17,398 aircraft movements, while 1.16 million passengers comprising 585,023 arrivals and 580,686 departures were recorded in June.

The statistics indicated that there were 15,229 aircraft movements in June, while 1.29 million passengers comprising 655,370 arrivals and 639,469 departures were recorded in July in 19,177 aircraft movements.

It further showed that in August a total of 1.35 million passengers comprising 657,705 arrivals and 694,582 departures in 19,014 aircraft movements.

In September, the authority recorded 1.30 million passengers comprising 657,497 arrivals and 644,711 departures in 20,006 aircraft movements.

According to the report, 1.34 million passengers comprising 662,696 arrivals and 658362 departures in 19,412 aircraft movements were recorded in October.

A total of 1.3 million passengers travelled in 23,514 aircraft in November, 1.5 million passengers were transported in 21,263 aircraft movements in December 2018.