Lagos airport secures dismal spot on list of Africa’s busiest travel hubs
Meanwhile, South Africa’s OR Tambo International Airport has secured second place on the list, behind a north African powerhouse.
While many continental hubs are booming, Lagos’s Murtala Muhammed International Airport has secured only the ninth position among the top ten busiest airports in Africa by departing seats for December 2025.
Despite total continental capacity increasing 6.8% to 25.2 million seats, the Nigerian gateway remains at the lower end of the rankings. This shift occurs as North African airports experience a significant surge in passenger demand.
OAG’s Schedules Analyser confirms that Cairo International remains the undisputed leader in African aviation, boasting 1.7 million seats this month.
While Lagos – Africa’s most populous city – occupies the ninth spot, the gap between the top and bottom of the list highlights a major disparity in regional seat capacity. International flights now represent 77% of total African capacity as carriers expand their global reach.
Busiest airports in Africa show regional growth
Growth is not uniform across the continent. Casablanca and Marrakech emerged as the fastest-growing hubs among the top ten, seeing capacity increases of 17.5% and 13.6% respectively. In contrast, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International saw almost stagnant growth at just 0.2%.
Meanwhile, capacity to the Middle East increased by 338,400 seats compared to last year, further altering travel patterns.
Regional aviation powerhouses
Egypt remains the largest country market overall with 3 million seats, a year-on-year increase of 7.6%. However, South Africa’s OR Tambo International Airport continues to dominate the domestic market, offering 1.8 million seats.
Despite these massive numbers elsewhere, Lagos’s ninth-place standing reflects Nigeria’s current role within the broader African aviation landscape.
Busiest African Airports by Departing Seats (December 2025)
| Rank | Airport Code | Airport Name | Country | This Month 2024 | This Month 2025 | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CAI | Cairo International | Egypt | 1,564,581 | 1,687,283 | 7.8% |
| 2 | JNB | Johannesburg OR Tambo International | South Africa | 1,146,425 | 1,224,799 | 6.8% |
| 3 | ADD | Addis Ababa | Ethiopia | 1,112,537 | 1,173,631 | 5.5% |
| 4 | CMN | Casablanca | Morocco | 582,622 | 684,337 | 17.5% |
| 5 | CPT | Cape Town | South Africa | 629,456 | 663,879 | 5.5% |
| 6 | RAK | Marrakech | Morocco | 517,393 | 587,925 | 13.6% |
| 7 | ALG | Algiers | Algeria | 501,896 | 552,147 | 10.0% |
| 8 | NBO | Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Apt | Kenya | 504,122 | 505,114 | 0.2% |
| 9 | LOS | Lagos | Nigeria | 489,385 | 495,635 | 1.3% |
| 10 | HRG | Hurghada | Egypt | 443,629 | 469,149 | 5.8% |
Source: OAG