The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has called for predictable, long-term and commercially disciplined investment in airport infrastructure across Africa, saying the continent’s rapid passenger growth must be matched with stronger infrastructure and resilient airport systems.

FAAN Managing Director/Chief Executive and Vice President, Airports Council International Africa (ACI-Africa), Mrs. Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, made the call in Abuja at the ongoing ACI Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition 2026.

Kuku said Africa’s aviation sector was experiencing significant growth, but warned that the continent must address funding constraints, infrastructure gaps, high operating costs and fragmented connectivity to fully harness its aviation potential.

Speaking on the theme of the conference, “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” she said African airports must move beyond incremental improvements and develop systems capable of supporting the continent’s growing aviation and economic activities.

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 added that Africa’s overall passenger demand grew by 5.2 per cent, while Nigeria’s aviation market recorded 18.8 million domestic and international passengers in 2025, representing an 11.9 per cent year-on-year increase.

Kuku also disclosed that Nigeria’s total scheduled airline capacity for September 2026 reached 1.19 million seats, representing a 37.4 per cent increase over the same period in 2025.

She said the growth underscored the need for airport infrastructure and operational systems capable of accommodating rising demand while improving efficiency, safety, passenger experience and commercial performance.

The FAAN boss said Nigeria had also recorded progress in airport infrastructure and operational development, citing the rehabilitation of a major runway at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, terminal upgrades and improvements in airfield lighting.

She said FAAN had also established a Passenger Experience Hub aimed at improving speed, predictability, comfort and human assistance across its operations.

On digital transformation, Kuku said the authority was deploying fast check-in systems, automated e-passport gates, enhanced security systems and passenger-data analytics to improve airport operations.

She further disclosed that FAAN achieved dual ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications in January 2026, while more than 3,500 personnel had been trained and certified through International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and ACI programmes.

According to her, FAAN was also repositioning its cargo development services to support the use of Nigerian airports as logistics platforms for regional and international trade.

Looking ahead, Kuku identified financial sustainability, intelligent infrastructure, operational resilience, human capital and partnerships as key imperatives for the next generation of African airports.

She said airports must diversify revenue beyond aeronautical charges and develop into broader commercial ecosystems incorporating logistics, hospitality, retail, data-driven services and airport-city development.

Kuku also stressed the need for investment in predictive maintenance, reliable power, digital operational systems and data analytics, noting that resilience should be built into airport organisations rather than treated only as an emergency response mechanism.

On partnerships, she said government resources alone would not be sufficient to meet the scale of investment, technology and expertise required to transform African airports.

“We must build commercially viable partnerships with private investors, airlines, technology providers, logistics companies, and development finance institutions,” she said.

The FAAN managing director called on African governments to establish predictable, long-term and commercially disciplined frameworks for airport infrastructure investment, while giving airport managers clear mandates, predictable resources and greater room to operate commercially with measurable accountability.

She also urged development partners and financial institutions to recognise African airports as strategic economic infrastructure deserving sustained investment.

Kuku said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) provided important frameworks for strengthening regional connectivity and liberalising air travel.

She noted that the continent’s young and digitally oriented workforce also offered an opportunity for African aviation to adopt new technologies and leapfrog legacy systems.

The FAAN chief said Africa’s aviation sector had demonstrated resilience through currency crises, health emergencies, supply-chain disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty, stressing that the continent had continued to adapt, innovate and expand.

She said the ACI Africa conference in Abuja provided an opportunity for airport leaders, regulators, financiers, technology providers and airlines to strengthen partnerships and develop a shared roadmap for the next generation of African airports.

The Nigeria Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of a permanent aviation Hall of Fame montage at the Lagos airport terminal.

The agreement marks a major step towards the preservation and promotion of Nigeria’s aviation heritage, with installation of the montage already underway at MMA2.

Under the partnership, the NAHF Montage will serve as a permanent wall of honour featuring photographs, profiles and citations of distinguished Nigerian aviators who have made significant contributions to the development of the country’s aviation industry.

The MoU was signed at the BASL headquarters in Lagos, with the company represented by its Head of Marketing and Creative Services, Ms. Gbubemi Vera Aibangbee, while NAHF was represented by its co-founders, Mr. Wole Shadare and Mr. Gboyega Adeoye.

The montage is scheduled for official unveiling on Friday, September 4, 2026, at MMA2 by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN.

The unveiling will precede the main induction ceremony of the NAHF and the launch of its maiden publication, Aviation Achievers, scheduled to hold at Golfview Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, from 10:00 a.m.

Eighteen distinguished aviators are expected to be inducted at the ceremony, having been selected based on their decades of service, integrity, leadership and contributions to the growth of Nigerian aviation.

Speaking at the MoU signing, Shadare, an aviation journalist and co-founder of NAHF, said the initiative was designed to recognise aviation professionals whose contributions deserved to be preserved for future generations.

“For over 25 years I have reported on this sector and seen many heroes retire without recognition. The Nigeria Aviation Hall of Fame is our way of saying thank you while we are still here to clap for them,” he said.

Adeoye, also a co-founder of NAHF, said the partnership was about preserving history and values while inspiring young Nigerians seeking careers in aviation.

“We are proud that Bi-Courtney shares this vision with us,” he said.

Aibangbee said the location of the montage at MMA2 would expose millions of passengers who pass through the terminal to the contributions of aviation pioneers and professionals.

Under the agreement, BASL will provide the space for the montage as well as security and maintenance, while NAHF will be responsible for content curation, periodic updates and the induction process.

The Nigeria Aviation Hall of Fame is a non-political and non-profit initiative established to recognise excellence, document aviation history and promote mentorship within the Nigerian aviation industry.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has resolved its operational differences with Bolt, clearing the e-hailing platform to immediately resume services at airports managed by the Authority.

The resolution followed constructive engagements between FAAN and Bolt to establish an operational framework that addresses safety, security, accountability and orderly movement of commercial and e-hailing vehicles within the airport environment.

FAAN, in a statement signed by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, said the agreement was reached after the Authority listened to concerns raised by passengers over the disruption of e-hailing services and the inconvenience it caused.

The Authority also apologised to passengers for the difficulties experienced during the temporary interruption, acknowledging the impact of the disruption on travellers.

According to FAAN, its efforts to regulate commercial transportation at its airports were driven by safety, security and operational considerations, rather than economic interests.

The Authority said it had been addressing challenges associated with commercial and e-hailing vehicles at airports for nearly a decade, including passenger solicitation and touting, unregulated operations, random pick-ups and concerns over safety, security and accountability.

It said the challenges made it necessary to strengthen the management and visibility of commercial transportation within the airport environment.

To address the issues, FAAN introduced the Airport Car Hire Rank Management System (ACHRAMS), a queue-management and airport transportation system designed to improve structure, visibility and accountability among authorised airport car-hire operators.

FAAN clarified that ACHRAMS is not an e-hailing application and was not designed to compete with Bolt, Uber or other mobility platforms.

It also stressed that the system was not intended to create a monopoly in airport transportation, maintaining that passengers should retain the freedom to choose from available authorised transportation options.

The Authority further explained that the airport taxi fares recently discussed publicly were not newly imposed by FAAN or created by ACHRAMS, noting that the fares existed independently of the system.

FAAN said ACHRAMS merely provided greater visibility and transparency around prevailing airport taxi rates, although the comparison with lower fares available through e-hailing platforms had heightened concerns among passengers.

With the agreement now reached with Bolt, FAAN said the development demonstrated that airport safety and security could be protected while preserving passengers’ convenience and freedom of choice.

The Authority added that it was still engaging with other e-hailing operators and expressed confidence that the outstanding discussions would be concluded in the coming days.

FAAN assured passengers that their safety, security, convenience and overall airport experience would remain at the centre of its decisions.