By Chioma Iruke
Nigeria recorded a total of 6,420,820 passengers who traveled through domestic and international airports in Nigeria between January and June this year, representing a 50.5 percent post Covid-19 increase in flights as compared to 4,267, 409 passengers recorded same period in 2020.
Passengers Traffic Statistics Report made available by the country’s aviation agency, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) indicates that the figure comprised 5,513,098 domestic passengers and 907,722 international travelers.
According to the report, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos processed the highest number of international travelers with 670,938 passengers, followed by Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja with 225,985 in the first half of 2021.
The Abuja airport topped the chart for domestic air travelers with 1,974,249 passengers, closely followed by Lagos airport with 1,786,236. Others are Port Harcourt 377,679 passengers; Enugu 231,669; Kano 225,870.
The report indicates that Lagos and Abuja airports alone accounted for 3,760,485 out of a total of 5,513,098 or 68.2 percent of all domestic arrivals and departures, and 896,923 out of a total of 907,722 or 98.8 percent of all international passengers. Malam Aminu Kano International Airport came a distant third with only 10,119 international passengers in the first half of the year.
On cargo, the five major international airports in Lagos, Enugu, Abuja Kano, and Port Harcourt handled a total of 126.4 million kilograms of cargo between January and June this year, about a 106 percent increase over the 61.2 million recorded same period in 2020. Lagos alone accounted for the lion’s share of 113.9 million kilograms or over 90 percent of the total cargo throughput of the five international airports. Lagos also accounted for 18.8 million kilograms out of 18.9 million kilograms or 98.9 percent of all mail handled at the five international airports.
