Rising passenger traffic and growing insecurity on major highways are driving a fresh wave of airline investment in Northern Nigeria, as travellers increasingly shift from road to air transportation despite the high cost of flying.
Domestic passenger traffic reached 13.09 million in 2025, according to data from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), indicating the size of the market available to domestic carriers.
The growing demand is attracting new private investors into a region that has historically produced some of Nigeria’s most prominent indigenous airlines, but where several operators have struggled with high operating costs, weak margins and inadequate capital.
AA Rano Airline and Binani Air are emerging as new players, joining existing operators such as Max Air and Azman Air, while the Kano and Sokoto state governments are also considering plans to establish commercial airlines.
The renewed investment comes at a time when airlines continue to contend with expensive aviation fuel, foreign exchange volatility, aircraft maintenance costs, insurance premiums and declining consumer purchasing power.
