No fewer than 14,171,722 air travelers went through Nigeria Airports in 2018, according to figures released on Tuesday in Lagos by the Consumer Protection Directorate of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The figure represents 20.8 per cent increase, compared to the 11,221,608 passengers recorded between January and December 2017.

According to the document, the 34 airlines on the international routes operate 15,645 flights and flew 4, 079, 0789 passengers during the period under review.

The nine domestic airlines operated a total of 59,818 flights and air lifted 10, 092,648 passengers across the country, it added.

NCAA said that airlines on the domestic routes accounted for 72 per cent of the passenger traffic while the international route recorded 28 per cent.

Commenting on the development, the General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, said government was working hard to sustain the tempo by the construction of new international terminal buildings.

Adurogboye noted that government had, within the last few months, inaugurated new international terminals at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

According to him, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has also promised that the construction of similar projects at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano will soon be completed.

He said, “We are hoping and working harder to ensure that there is more movement of passengers. By the time that new terminals in Lagos and Kano come on stream, they will equally enhance more frequencies.”

The NCAA spokesperson said the modern terminals would attract more mega carriers to Nigeria due to easier passenger facilitation and thereby bring more investments into the country. (NAN)