Nigeria generated $62 million from airline ticket taxes and related charges in 2024, contributing a notable share to the total aviation revenue collected across Africa.
The figure was disclosed in new data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which provided a global breakdown of ticket-specific charges governments impose on air travel.
Nigeria’s Contribution to African Revenue
The IATA data confirms Nigeria’s position as a significant contributor to the continent’s aviation tax earnings:
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Nigeria’s Revenue: $62 million
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Africa’s Total Revenue: $1.97 billion
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Global Total: $60.3 billion
While Africa accounted for a small fraction of the global total, Nigeria’s earnings helped form the bulk of the continent’s revenue alongside major hubs like:
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South Africa: ~$410 million
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Egypt: ~$360 million
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Ethiopia: ~$310 million
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Kenya: ~$215 million
Africa’s taxes averaged $14.9 per passenger, with almost all the continent’s revenue derived from international travel, where the average charge was around $20.7 per passenger. Domestic ticket taxes across the entire continent amounted to only $49 million, highlighting the focus on international flights for revenue generation.
Context of High Taxes and New Levies
The revenue generated comes amid ongoing criticism from both IATA and the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) regarding the high cost of taxes and charges on air travel in Nigeria, which ultimately burdens passengers.
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Comparative Cost: An earlier AFRAA report highlighted that passengers flying internationally from Nigeria paid an average of $180 in taxes and charges per departure, which was nearly three times the continental average of $68.
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Recent Increase: The tax burden has recently been increased. Effective December 1, 2025, all international travel to and from Nigeria now includes an additional $11.5 security levy under the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), raising the total security levy on each flight ticket to $31.50. This charge is applied at the point of sale and is remitted by airlines to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
These statistics emphasize the aviation sector’s crucial role as a source of revenue for the Nigerian government, even as the industry struggles with issues like the cost of operation and the challenge of repatriating foreign airlines’ blocked funds.
