The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has reaffirmed the necessity of reviewing airport charges across the country, describing the move as a critical step towards ensuring aviation safety, infrastructure sustainability, and the modernization of Nigeria’s airport system in line with global standards.
For more than two decades, airport charges in Nigeria have remained largely unchanged, despite significant transformations in the global aviation landscape. During this period, inflation has steadily eroded the real value of revenues, while operational, security, maintenance, and regulatory costs have continued to rise sharply. FAAN, which manages 22 airports nationwide, has therefore been operating modern aviation infrastructure using revenue structures designed for the early 2000s, a situation the Authority says is no longer sustainable.
FAAN explained that the issue goes beyond revenue generation. According to the Authority, the review of charges is fundamentally about aviation safety, regulatory compliance, and the long-term viability of Nigeria’s airports. Airports today function as complex, technology-driven environments that require uninterrupted power supply, advanced security architecture, certified firefighting and emergency response systems, continuous staff training, and strict environmental and quality management in line with ICAO, ISO 14001, and ISO 9001 standards. Meeting these obligations requires substantial and recurring capital investment.
The Authority noted that infrastructure demands have also grown significantly. Many airports require major upgrades and rehabilitation, including terminal improvements, runway and taxiway works, modern baggage handling systems, boarding bridges, apron expansion, perimeter fencing, airfield lighting, power systems, and cooling infrastructure. Without realistic cost-recovery mechanisms, FAAN warned that it would be increasingly difficult to maintain existing facilities, let alone expand capacity to support rising passenger and cargo traffic or compete effectively with leading regional hubs such as Accra, Addis Ababa, Kigali, and Johannesburg.
Safety and security, FAAN emphasized, remain non-negotiable pillars of aviation operations. The Authority stated that revised charges would enable sustained investment in modern firefighting vehicles, enhanced surveillance and screening systems, upgraded navigational aids, environmental protection infrastructure, and emergency operations centres. Improved funding would also support continuous audit readiness for inspections and assessments by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and other regulatory bodies.
Passenger experience is another key driver of the review. FAAN acknowledged growing passenger expectations for cleaner terminals, functional amenities, efficient security processes, reliable baggage systems, improved lighting and ventilation, dependable connectivity, and higher customer service standards. Airlines, in turn, require efficient and well-maintained airside and terminal environments to support quick turnarounds and operational efficiency. According to the Authority, sustainable funding is essential to meeting these service expectations consistently.
FAAN further noted that Nigeria’s long delay in reviewing airport charges places the country outside global best practice. Internationally, airport tariffs are typically reviewed every three to five years to reflect changing economic realities and infrastructure needs. The proposed adjustments, FAAN said, would align Nigeria more closely with ICAO’s cost-recovery principles and the transparent, regulated tariff frameworks adopted by successful airport systems in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Beyond aviation operations, FAAN highlighted the broader economic implications of well-funded airports. Modern, efficient airports are critical to attracting international airlines, positioning Nigeria as a regional aviation hub, supporting air cargo growth and e-commerce, boosting tourism, and enhancing national and regional connectivity. The Authority stressed that these benefits directly translate into job creation, increased trade, and stronger contributions to national GDP.
FAAN assured stakeholders that the process of reviewing charges is being approached with openness and consultation. The Authority said it remains committed to engaging airlines, ground handling companies, freight forwarders, aviation workers, passengers, the media, and government stakeholders to ensure clarity, transparency, and shared understanding of the rationale behind the adjustments.
According to FAAN, the revised charges are not intended to be punitive but represent a necessary investment in safer, more efficient, and globally competitive airports. The Authority concluded that Nigeria’s airports must reflect the country’s population, economic potential, and strategic importance, and that achieving this goal requires sustainable financing models suited to the realities of modern aviation. Ultimately, FAAN stated, the benefits of the new charges will be felt across the aviation value chain, by passengers, airlines, cargo operators, and the Nigerian economy as a whole.
