By Chinelo Obogo
The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has released its latest monthly industry briefing, which revealed that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, was ranked as Africa’s 9th busiest airport, handling over 400,000 passengers in February 2025.
According to AFRAA’s report, which was released this week, Cairo International Airport maintained its position as Africa’s top aviation hub, handling one million passenger seats in February 2025, while Addis Ababa Bole International (Ethiopia) came 2nd, O.R. Tambo International (Johannesburg, South Africa) 3rd, Cape Town International (South Africa) 4th, Mohammed V International (Casablanca, Morocco) 5th, Marrakesh Menara Airport (Morocco) 6th, Jomo Kenyatta International (Nairobi, Kenya) 7th, Houari Boumediene Airport (Algiers, Algeria) 8th, and the Murtala Muhammed International (Lagos, Nigeria) came 9th with over 400,000 passengers.
The briefing also revealed that March 2025 saw a 2.3% year-on-year increase in intra-African travel compared to March 2024, signaling a steady recovery in regional air connectivity. AFRAA Secretary-General Abdérahmane Berthé said: “The growth in intra-African traffic demonstrates the positive impact of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) implementation, though we still have work to do to fully liberalize our skies.”
While African carriers have strengthened their position in international markets, securing 49.1% of traffic share in January 2025, they continue to face stiff competition from foreign airlines, which hold 50.9% of the market. The gap has widened in intercontinental routes, where African airlines account for just 34.5% of traffic compared to 65.5% for non-African carriers.
AFRAA’s financial analysis revealed strong financial performance, with a 10% increase in passenger revenue for December 2024 versus December 2023 and an 8.1% cumulative growth in passenger revenue for the full year 2024 compared to 2023. For cargo, AFRAA noted that while most African regions export more than they import by air, West and Central Africa continue to import more goods than they export via air cargo. In terms of connectivity, AFRAA’s report shows that 4th freedom traffic dominates intra-African routes, while 5th freedom rights remain underutilized at just 21% of capacity.
Berthé emphasized that “while these numbers show progress, African carriers must continue to pursue strategic partnerships, fleet modernization, and cost optimization to compete effectively in international markets.” The association plans to work with member airlines to address infrastructure constraints and regulatory hurdles that continue to limit growth potential.