NBS: Travellers through Nigerian airports increased by 43% to 13m in 2021

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says about 13 million passengers travelled through Nigerian airports in 2021 

The figure represents a growth rate of 43.41 per cent from 9 million recorded in 2020.

The NBS disclosed this in its recent Air Transportation report for 2021, released on Wednesday.

According to the report, the total number of arrivals in 2021 stood at 6.5 million, which was higher compared to the 4.9 million recorded in 2020. 

Also, departure stood at 6.5 million in 2021 compared to 4.2 million in 2020.

The reports added that 2.2 million international passengers passed through Nigerian airports in 2021, as against 1.4 million passengers in 2020. It represents a 57.61 per cent growth rate.

It further said the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja recorded a total of 4.76 million domestic travellers, accounting for 37 per cent of the total passengers in 2021. 

It was followed by the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos State with a total of 4.09 million domestic passengers, accounting for 31 per cent of the recorded domestic travels in 2021.

For foreign movement statistics, the report said arrival in 2021 was 1.1 million while passengers’ departure stood also at 1.1 million, making a total of 2.2 million foreign movements in 2021.

Breakdown of the foreign movement statistics showed that arrival in Q1 2021 was 212,977 while passengers’ departure stood at 222,453 in the same quarter. 

Similarly, second-quarter 2021 recorded 220,171 (arrival) and 232,501 (departure).

In Q3 2021, passengers’ departure stood at 285,189, and arrival was 318,841. In Q4, the figure arrival stood at 391,284, and departure was at 335,730.