Nigeria faces connectivity loss if aviation costs persist, IATA warns

June 10, 2026

By Dickson Omobola

The International Air Transport Association, IATA, has raised concerns over Nigeria’s infrastructure and operating costs, saying the country risked losing aviation connectivity if the challenges persisted.

Director-General of IATA, Willie Walsh, said despite the country’s population and wealth, the high cost of doing business and uncertainty within the operating environment had made the market less attractive to investors.

Addressing newsmen at the 82nd Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit, WATS, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Walsh said airlines were unlikely to invest in Nigeria when other markets offered more favourable conditions and potentially easier returns.