Africa’s most populous nation should dominate West African aviation. Yet passengers flying between African countries and international destinations regularly bypass Nigeria, connecting instead through hubs like Addis Ababa, Nairobi, or cities outside the continent entirely. This routing pattern represents billions in lost economic opportunity for Nigeria.
Despite years of discussion about turning Nigerian airports into regional connection points, the country remains primarily an origin and destination market rather than a transfer hub. Industry experts point to specific, solvable barriers holding back this transformation.
The Hub That Never Was
At its core, an aviation hub functions like a wheel – with flights coming in from multiple origins (the spokes) and departing to various destinations after passengers transfer. This model allows airlines to serve routes that would otherwise lack sufficient point-to-point demand.
“The main international airports of Lagos and Abuja absolutely should be operating as hubs,” says Sindy Foster, Principal Managing Partner at Avaero Capital Partners. “But they lack the necessary infrastructure to process transiting passengers, nowhere for them to wait for a connecting flight.”
Foster highlights that the problems extend beyond physical infrastructure. “Customs and NIS do not have policies in place for transit. The visa regime is not geared up for transit. Currently transiting passengers would need a Nigerian entry visa as there is no transit visa protocol.”
This creates a perfect storm of deterrents. International passengers simply choose other routing options rather than navigating Nigeria’s cumbersome transfer process – if they can find connecting flights at all. The absence of a coherent transit strategy effectively shuts Nigeria out of a lucrative market segment.
The High Cost of Inaction
The economic consequences of this missed opportunity are substantial. Foster notes, “Some countries have more transit passengers than they have in population.” This remarkable statistic underscores the vast potential being overlooked.
Behind and beyond traffic – passengers traveling from points behind the hub to destinations beyond it – generates significant revenue for genuine hub airports. This includes direct aviation income and substantial indirect economic benefits for the broader economy.
Nigeria stands to gain in multiple ways by addressing its hub deficiencies. “A properly operating hub will enable airlines to operate more connectivity by attracting transit passengers and open up more routes,” Foster explains. “This will lead to a growth in passenger traffic [that] will benefit the Nigerian economy. It will boost GDP, increase employment. It will enable increase tourists, business travellers and investors.”
The multiplier effect of aviation connectivity on economic development is well-documented globally. Each additional international route can generate millions in economic activity through tourism, business investment, and trade facilitation.
Breaking Down the Barriers
The obstacles preventing Nigeria from establishing itself as a regional hub are significant but not insurmountable. Three key areas require coordinated attention:
First, physical infrastructure must be upgraded. Dedicated transit zones, passenger processing facilities, and improved terminal amenities are essential for handling connecting traffic efficiently. The current airport configuration forces all passengers – even those simply connecting – through the full arrival and departure process.
Second, policy reform is critical. “Visa strategy, customs strategy and putting in place the right infrastructure will go a long way to enable airlines to utilise connecting flights,” notes Foster. This requires coordinated action across multiple government agencies to establish transit visa protocols and simplified customs procedures for connecting passengers.
Third, airline cooperation is necessary. Hub operations thrive on coordinated flight schedules that allow passengers reasonable connection times. This requires either a strong national carrier with extensive operations or partnership agreements between multiple airlines serving the airport.
The Regional Context
Nigeria’s geographical position offers natural advantages for an aviation hub. Positioned between Central/Southern Africa and Europe/North America, with a massive population and the continent’s largest economy, Nigeria should be the logical connecting point for regional traffic.
Yet competing hubs have emerged elsewhere. Ethiopia has built Addis Ababa into a major connection point through strategic investment and government-backed airline expansion. Ghana has positioned itself as a stable alternative in West Africa with improved facilities and simplified entry procedures. Even smaller nations like Rwanda have developed aviation strategies that far outpace their domestic market size.
Without action, Nigeria risks permanent relegation to secondary status in African aviation, despite its inherent advantages of scale and location.
A Path Forward
Creating a viable hub strategy requires comprehensive planning and execution. The government must take the lead by establishing an enabling policy environment. This includes developing transit visa protocols, training immigration and customs officials on transit processing, and making infrastructure investments.
The private sector has a complementary role through airline investment, development of supporting services, and possibly public-private partnerships for terminal facilities. International examples from Dubai to Singapore demonstrate how purpose-built transit infrastructure can transform an airport’s regional position.
Foster emphasizes that the payoff justifies the investment. “Bringing people in from across West Africa and the wider African region and connecting them to destinations beyond is necessary to grow traffic,” she explains. The economic benefits extend far beyond the airport boundaries.
Beyond the Horizon
Nigeria’s aviation sector stands at a crossroads. One path leads to continued reliance on point-to-point traffic, limited connectivity, and constrained economic contribution. The alternative – developing proper hub capabilities – offers expansive growth potential.
Success would mean more than just increased passenger numbers. It would position Nigeria as the true gateway to West Africa, strengthening its regional leadership position, creating thousands of jobs, and generating economic ripple effects throughout the country.
The technical solutions are known. The economic case is compelling. What remains is the political will and coordinated execution to transform Nigeria’s airports from mere arrival and departure points into thriving regional connection hubs at the center of African aviation.
The question now is whether Nigeria will continue watching from the sidelines as other countries capture the high-value transit market, or whether it will finally claim its natural position as West Africa’s aviation crossroads.
Disclaimer: The insights shared in this article are for information purposes only and do not constitute strategic advice. Aviation markets and circumstances vary, and decisions should be based on your organisation’s specific context. For tailored consultancy and guidance, please contact info@avaerocapital.com.
