According to statistics from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on passenger, cargo and aircraft movement, in the first six months of 2021, Nigeria recorded a total of 126, 541, 949 kg of air cargo.

This is made up of 112, 949, 463. 51 kg of imports and 13, 592, 486.12 kg of exports.

This is an improvement compared with a total cargo volume of 67, 279, 833 kg, made up of 60,651, 659 imports and 6, 628, 174 exports recorded in the corresponding period of 2020.

In addition, a total of 6, 420, 820 passenger traffic was recorded in the first six months of this year. 

In the eight months of scheduled flight operations in 2020, Nigeria recorded passenger traffic of 9, 426, 297.

Breakdown Analysis

According to the report, from January to June 2021, Nigeria’s busiest airports, Lagos and Abuja recorded domestic passenger traffic of 1, 073, 223; international passenger traffic of 67, 450 and 1, 111, 705 and 247, 422 respectively.

However, the 2021 figures were still lower than that of 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, when the first six months recorded 8,023, 450 passenger movements and 79,762,921 kg of cargo.

The President of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agency (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, said that the improvement in passenger and cargo traffic was expected, as COVID-19 began to ease, adding that COVID-19 protocols would continue to inhibit air travel according to strategies adopted by various nations.

“The improvement was expected; so for me I am not surprised because I know once restrictions start to ease down there will be an increase in travel for both passengers and cargo.

“COVID-19 definitely will inhibit air travel if restrictions are still in place but the more the restrictions are being lifted, the more the travel industry continues to bounce back bigger and stronger,” she said.