Speaking during an interview on CNBC Africa, Kuku explained that Nigeria’s current air travel volume remains relatively low when compared with the size of the country’s economy, noting that passenger traffic accounts for less than two per cent when measured against the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
According to her, this indicates that a significant proportion of Nigerians are not travelling by air as frequently as seen in many other countries.
Kuku stressed that stimulating passenger traffic would require broader economic improvements, particularly policies that encourage trade, tourism and general economic activity capable of attracting more travellers into the country.
She noted that creating a viable aviation hub in Nigeria goes beyond airport infrastructure alone, adding that several enabling factors must be addressed to support both passenger and cargo movement.
“A hub is essentially an airport environment where transit passengers can move from one location to another without the country being their final destination,” she said.
She explained that Nigeria’s hub strategy is expected to focus on increasing both passenger and cargo movement, but achieving this goal would require stronger collaboration with airlines and improved connectivity through additional international routes.
Kuku also highlighted the role of Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs) in expanding international connectivity. According to her, recent efforts by the aviation ministry have led to an increase in airline routes operating into and out of Nigeria.
However, she pointed out that operational challenges remain, particularly the absence of dedicated transit facilities at Nigerian airports, which currently makes it difficult for passengers to connect through the country.
To address this, the FAAN boss said transit areas are being incorporated into ongoing airport rehabilitation projects, a move she believes will make Nigerian airports more competitive and help support the country’s ambition of becoming a regional aviation hub.