High Costs, Weak Demand Keep Nigerian Airlines Out Of Africa’s Top 10

Nigeria’s nine scheduled airlines failed to make Africa’s top 10 in the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards, as high operating costs and weak passenger demand continue to strain the ability of domestic carriers to sustain operations and expand their networks.
Aviation sector experts who spoke with LEADERSHIP said Nigerian airlines are grappling with rising operating expenses, weak passenger demand and shrinking operational capacity, threatening their ability to maintain flight services and expand route networks.
They said the absence of Nigerian carriers from the continental ranking highlights some of the structural challenges confronting the domestic aviation industry, including high a...