Airports in Nigeria are important for domestic mobility, international travel, trade, and economic development. Nigeria operates a national airport network that links its commercial centres to each other and to destinations across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America. As of 2026, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) manages 21 airports, of which five hold functional international status.
This guide explains how many airports Nigeria has, which ones handle international traffic, who regulates them, how they perform commercially, and what recent infrastructure changes mean for passengers and operators. It is written for travellers, aviation professionals, logistics planners and security-procurement teams who need an accurate, current reference.
Logic Security works directly inside this environment: Nigerian airports screen 100 percent of checked baggage for explosives and narcotics, and FAAN identifies aviation security screening as a core part of its operations. That gives us a practical, on-the-ground view of how these facilities actually run, which informs the analysis below.
How Many Airports Does Nigeria Have?
The counts of the airports in Nigeria vary because different bodies measure different things. Counting every paved field, airstrip and airfield, including those built by the Nigerian Air Force and oil companies, Nigeria has roughly 50 airports and airfields, ranking it 18th in Africa by that broad measure. Counting only formally listed airports, the figure is about 32, of which 26 are FAAN-affiliated and five are functional international airports, according to Wikipedia.
The most authoritative operational figure of the airports in Nigeria comes from FAAN itself, which states that it directly manages 21 airports across Nigeria, including 16 local airports providing domestic interconnection. The Bureau of Public Enterprises lists these 21 by name: Murtala Muhammed (Lagos), Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Enugu, Maiduguri, Jos, Benin, Sokoto, Yola, Owerri, Ilorin, Ibadan, Akure, Katsina, Minna, Makurdi, Zaria, Osubi and Bauchi. (Bureau of Public Enterprises – FAAN profile)
So the answer to that depends on the question: about 21 airports are actively managed by the federal authority, around 32 are formally catalogued, and roughly 50 facilities exist if every military and private airstrip is included.
Major International Airports in Nigeria
Six airports currently operate scheduled international services and act as Nigeria’s primary gateways to the world.
1. Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos (LOS)
Located in Ikeja, Lagos, Murtala Muhammed International Airport is Nigeria’s busiest and most commercially important airport. It runs separate international and domestic terminals that share runways, and it is the main hub for Air Peace and several other Nigerian carriers.
In 2024 it generated about ₦256 billion — roughly 67 percent of FAAN’s total revenue of ₦382.1 billion — making it the single most significant facility in the network.
2. Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (ABV)
Serving the Federal Capital Territory and named after Nigeria’s first president, Abuja’s airport is the country’s second-busiest. It handled about 5.48 million passengers in 2024 and operates international and domestic terminals on a single runway. It contributed roughly ₦81 billion, about 21.3 percent of FAAN’s 2024 revenue.
3. Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano (KAN)
Kano’s airport is the principal international gateway for northern Nigeria and a major hub for Hajj and business travel. It was the third-largest revenue earner for FAAN in 2024, contributing about ₦20.2 billion.
4. Port Harcourt International Airport (PHC)
Located at Omagwa in Rivers State, Port Harcourt International Airport serves the Niger Delta oil-and-gas economy with separate international and domestic operations. It handled about 1.19 million passengers in 2024. It contributed roughly ₦10.7 billion to FAAN in 2024, the fourth-highest of any Nigerian airport.
5. Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu (ENU)
Enugu’s airport is the international gateway for south-eastern Nigeria. Its runway was shut for emergency repairs in April 2025 after a sudden rupture in the asphalt surface and reopened to traffic on 28 April 2025 once rehabilitation was completed.
6. Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo (QUO)
Located in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah International Airport (also known as Akwa Ibom International Airport) is the newest addition to Nigeria’s network of major international gateways. The federal government granted it full international status, with scheduled international passenger operations commencing on May 2, 2026 (maiden flight by Ibom Air to Accra, Ghana).
It features a modern terminal building, a sufficiently long runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, and supporting facilities like an MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) base. It serves as the primary international gateway for the South-South region, supporting business, tourism, and connectivity in the Niger Delta area beyond Port Harcourt.
Other Internationally Capable and Hajj Airports
Beyond the five core gateways, several airports handle seasonal or limited international operations. FAAN designates Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kaduna, Ilorin and Yola primarily for Hajj operations, while Calabar operates flights within the West African sub-region.
- Ilorin International Airport (Kwara State) — Hajj and domestic services for the north-central region.
- Sadiq Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto — serves the north-west.
- Calabar Margaret Ekpo International Airport — sub-regional West African routes.
Domestic Airports in Nigeria
Alongside its international gateways, Nigeria runs a wide spread of domestic airports that connect state capitals and regional centres. In addition to the domestic terminals at Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt, FAAN’s domestic network includes airports at Ilorin, Sokoto, Yola, Ibadan, Kaduna, Katsina, Maiduguri, Makurdi, Minna, Akure and Calabar.
These airports support internal mobility for business, government and emergency services even though most carry modest traffic. The wider Nigerian market is served by 23 active domestic airlines as of August 2025, including Air Peace, Arik Air, Ibom Air, Overland Airways, United Nigeria, Green Africa and ValueJet.
Who Manages and Regulates Airports in Nigeria?
Two federal bodies divide responsibility. FAAN owns, manages and operates the commercial airports, handling terminals, runways, ground infrastructure, and aviation security screening across 21 facilities. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is the safety and economic regulator: it licenses operators, certifies aerodromes, and issues the operational approvals airports need before scheduled flights can begin.
A third agency, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), controls the airspace and issues the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that formally opens a runway for traffic. The recent Ibadan reopening required sign-off from all three — FAAN, NCAA and NAMA — before commercial flights could resume.
Not every airport is federally owned. Several are operated or co-funded by state governments. Akwa Ibom’s Victor Attah International Airport is the most prominent state-owned example, and Murtala Muhammed Airport Two (MMA2) is Nigeria’s only public-private partnership airport, run by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services.
Commercial Performance: Which Nigerian Airports Are Profitable?
Nigeria’s airport economics are highly concentrated. FAAN’s managing director, Olubunmi Kuku, stated in July 2024 that only three of the 22 airports the authority then counted were profitable, with the remainder cross-subsidised.
The revenue data make the imbalance stark. In the 2024 financial year, four airports, Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt, generated about 96.4 percent of FAAN’s ₦382.1 billion total, while the remaining 16 airports combined produced under ₦3.6 billion, roughly 0.9 percent.
This concentration is the central argument in the federal government’s plan to concession its four biggest earners to private operators, a proposal that remains contested precisely because those four airports underwrite the loss-making remainder.
Airports in Nigeria: Recent Developments (2025–2026)
Ibadan: Reopened After a Major Upgrade
The Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan was closed in March 2025 for an extensive upgrade. The Oyo State works extended the runway from 2,400 to 3,000 metres and widened it from 45 to 60 metres to accommodate wide-body aircraft. The NCAA issued a provisional operating permit on 16 December 2025, and scheduled commercial flights resumed shortly afterwards, with full international operations targeted for 2026.
Uyo: Victor Attah International Airport Gains Full International Status
Victor Attah International Airport (also known as Akwa Ibom International Airport) in Uyo received federal approval for full international operations. On May 2, 2026, the airport officially commenced scheduled international services with Ibom Air’s maiden flight from Uyo to Accra, Ghana. This makes Uyo the sixth Nigerian airport with regular international passenger operations.
Federal Reforms and International Recognition
At the federal level, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development under Festus Keyamo has pursued a Memorandum of Understanding with Boeing toward a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, alongside the Fly Nigeria Act to prioritise indigenous carriers for government travel.
Why Airports Matter to Nigeria’s Economy
Airports are more than transit points; they are trade and investment infrastructure. The four commercially viable gateways alone moved billions of naira in import and export trade and anchor Nigeria’s connection to global supply chains. Reliable air links support tourism, enable medical evacuation, move time-sensitive cargo, and let Nigerian businesses reach international markets directly. The challenge for the next decade is converting traffic concentration in a handful of cities into broader, financially sustainable regional connectivity.
Airports in Nigeria: Frequently Asked Questions
How many airports does Nigeria have in 2026?
FAAN directly manages 21 airports in Nigeria, including 16 domestic facilities. Broader catalogues list about 32 formally recognised airports in Nigeria, and counts that include military and private airstrips reach roughly 50 facilities. The right figure depends on whether you mean federally managed, formally listed, or every airfield in the country.
How many international airports are in Nigeria?
As of 2026, there are six functional international airports in Nigeria: Murtala Muhammed (Lagos), Nnamdi Azikiwe (Abuja), Mallam Aminu Kano (Kano), Port Harcourt, Akanu Ibiam (Enugu), and Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo (Akwa Ibom). Additional airports such as Ilorin, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Yola and Calabar handle Hajj or limited cross-border operations, and Ibadan is moving toward international status.
Which is the busiest airport in Nigeria?
Out of all the airports in Nigeria, Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos is the busiest and most commercially important, generating about 67 percent of FAAN’s total 2024 revenue. Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja is second, handling roughly 5.48 million passengers in 2024.
Who regulates airports and air safety in Nigeria?
FAAN manages and operates the airports themselves, including security screening, while the NCAA regulates safety, licensing and aerodrome certification, and NAMA controls the airspace. A new airport cannot run scheduled flights until the NCAA grants an operating permit and NAMA issues the relevant NOTAM.
Are Nigeria’s airports profitable?
Most are not. FAAN reported in 2024 that only three of its airports were profitable, and four airports, Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt, produced about 96.4 percent of its 2024 revenue, with the rest cross-subsidised. This is the basis for the federal concession debate.
Is the Ibadan airport open?
Yes. After closing in March 2025 for a major runway and terminal upgrade, the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport received NCAA provisional approval on 16 December 2025 and resumed scheduled commercial flights, with full international service targeted for 2026.
Airports in Nigeria: Conclusion
Nigeria’s airport network is large in count but concentrated in value: 21 FAAN-managed airports, six international gateways, and four facilities carrying almost all the commercial weight. The system is changing, with Enugu’s runway repaired, Ibadan reopened and reaching for international status, and a federal concession programme under debate. Understanding where each airport sits in this picture matters to anyone planning travel, logistics or infrastructure investment in the country.
Airports are also among the most security-critical environments in Nigeria, where 100 percent of checked baggage is screened for explosives and narcotics. Logic Security is the registered distributor and technical service partner for Rapiscan Systems screening technology in Nigeria, supporting aviation, customs and critical-infrastructure facilities. To discuss baggage and parcel inspection, people screening, or explosives and narcotics detection for an airport or terminal environment, contact the Logic Security team.
