Travel/Tourism
Lagos Slumps as Travel to Africa Displays Double-Digit Growth
By Dipo Olowookere
An analysis of seat capacity for travel to the top ten international airports in Africa, produced by ForwardKeys, reveals that Lagos is seeing substantial declines in both domestic and international capacity, mainly because Arik Air is cutting 53 percent of its seats for the rest of 2017.
During the coming five months, August – December 2017, there will be 16 percent fewer airline seats on domestic routes and 9 percent fewer and on international routes to and from Lagos.
Commenting on this data, Jon Howell, Managing Director of AviaDev, Africa’s leading airline route development conference, said: “One of the major reasons for falling arrivals by air to Nigeria, is the fact that many airlines could not repatriate funds after the currency crisis in 2016.
“As a result, Iberia and United Airlines have ceased operations to Nigeria, whilst Emirates and the other foreign carriers have scaled back services.
“The Nigerian airlines have suffered too and so this void has been filled by the ever-opportunistic Ethiopian Airlines, who began serving their fifth Nigerian destination, Kaduna on August 1, 2017 and are now the largest carrier in the Nigerian market.”
Most of the other airports in Africa’s top ten are seeing a healthy growth in capacity, which is more international than it is domestic. However, the most notable exception to this trend is Nairobi, which is seeing a 22 percent boost in domestic capacity.
These findings are part of a wider report on travel to Africa, produced by ForwardKeys, which predicts future travel patterns by analysing 17 million booking transactions a day. It shows double digit growth in flight arrivals for the first half of this year and little indication that the pace of growth will slow down soon.
The wider report will make encouraging reading for airlines, governments and hoteliers planning to discuss possible new aviation routes at AviaDev in Kigali in October. (AviaDev is organised by Bench Global Business Events.)
The report reveals that in the first seven months of the year, 1st Jan – 31st July 2017, total international flight arrivals grew by 14.0 percent over the same period in 2016.
Most significantly, growth was stronger for travel to and from the continent than within the continent.
Arrivals from Europe, which make up 46 percent of the market, were up 13.2 percent. From the Americas, arrivals were up 17.6 percent; from the Middle East, they were up 14.0 percent and from Asia Pacific, they were up 18.4 percent. By comparison, intra-African air travel, which makes up 26 percent of the market, was up 12.6 percent.
Looking at Africa’s top ten destination countries, there have been stand-out performances from Tunisia and Egypt, which are recovering from notorious terrorist attacks two years ago, up 33.5 percent and 24.8 percent respectively.
In addition, Morocco and Tunisia received a huge boost in arrivals from China, up 450 percent and 250 percent respectively, after they relaxed visa restrictions. The one disappointment is Nigeria, which has seen a 0.8 percent drop, in the wake of recession in 2016, caused by a collapse in the oil price to a 13-year low.
Looking forward to the end of the calendar year, bookings for flights to Africa are currently 16.8 percent ahead of where they were on July 31, 2016. Bookings from Europe are currently 17.5 percent ahead, from the Americas 26.6 percent ahead, from Asia Pacific 11.5 percent ahead, from the Middle East 8.2 percent ahead and bookings for intra-African air travel are 11.0 percent ahead.
A specific look at East Africa shows very similar trends in year to date performance and outlook to the end of the year.
However, it has stronger forward bookings from Europe, 22.9 percent ahead and less strong forward bookings from elsewhere; the Americas are 15.5 percent ahead and intra-African air travel 7.6 percent ahead.
However, bookings from the Middle East and Asia Pacific are 6.0 percent and 3.8 percent behind respectively.
On an individual airport level, the most significant capacity increase in East Africa is at Kigali, with new routes to Brussels, London and Mumbai. Other notable new capacity includes Kilimanjaro to Dubai and Nairobi to Muscat and to Yemen.
Olivier Jager, CEO, ForwardKeys, said: “The growth in air travel to Africa is impressive. However, it is notable that consumer demand and airline investment is greater in travel to African countries from outside the continent than it is between African countries.”
Jon Howell, Aviation and Tourism Development Manager, Bench Events, who is responsible for AviaDev, concluded: “As an international executive who has travelled around Africa for many years, I am longing for the day when it is easier to fly directly between African cities, as is possible on other continents.
“I am sure I’m not alone in that desire and I’m equally sure, it will happen eventually. That’s why I’m determined that the discussions that will take place at AviaDev will help bring that vision closer.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Emirates passengers travelling to or through Dubai will enjoy some exclusive offers, including complimentary stays at the iconic JW Marriott Marquis and hundreds of discounts through the popular My Emirates Pass, the airline operator has said.
In a statement, the company stated that from June 22 to July 12, 2026, travellers who purchase an Emirates return ticket in First Class or Business Class are invited to enjoy a two-night stay, while customers booked in Premium Economy Class or Economy Class can enjoy a complimentary one-night stay.
It was disclosed that this special offer is valid for all return tickets to or stopping over in Dubai for more than 24 hours, for customers travelling between June 25 and September 30, 2026.
In addition, passengers can enjoy over 600 offers available in the popular My Emirates Pass, which provides access to spas, restaurants, big-name retailers and much more by simply showing either a physical or digital boarding pass along with a valid ID at participating venues to enjoy the benefits.
These exclusive offers are being offered by Emirates through its Dubai Summer Surprises, which enters its 28th year in 2026.
Further, from July 2 to August 30, residents and visitors can expect an extraordinary live Beat the Heat DXB concert series, cultural events and an array of wellness and fitness activities, as well as big savings and exclusive, limited-time experiences in the city’s malls and lifestyle destinations.
“Whether visitors are seeking relaxation, adventure, entertainment, or a combination of all three, Dubai is the ideal start to any summer vacation.
“We’re inviting passengers to enjoy even more of the city with a complimentary hotel stay to take advantage of the exceptional range of shopping, entertainment, dining and family-friendly experiences that define the Dubai summer experience, when stopping over as part of your journey or visiting Dubai as your final destination,” the Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates, Mr Adnan Kazim, said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The popular Jabi Lake waterfront in Abuja is set to become a major leisure and tourism hub in the country, thanks to Akida Hills, which is making efforts to enable visitors to enjoy the transformation from December 2026.
The Nigerian mixed-use real estate and destination development company has been allocated a 3.36-hectare development site within the approximately 14-hectare waterfront district, where it will deliver a phased mix of recreational, entertainment, and public leisure experiences.
According to the deal, the first phase of the development will introduce the destination’s first operational attractions, including dining and leisure experiences, water-based activities, structured weekly programming, a seasonal lights festival, and the dancing musical fountain as its signature attraction.
Additional experiences and amenities will be introduced in subsequent phases as the destination evolves.
Designed as a central landmark within the waterfront experience, the dancing musical fountain will combine choreographed water displays, synchronised lighting, and music to create a distinctive evening attraction and focal point for visitor engagement.
Upon completion, the development is expected to serve as a major hub for tourism, recreation, entertainment, and community engagement, further strengthening Abuja’s position as a leading leisure and lifestyle destination.
Construction and implementation activities will progress in phases, with additional announcements on attractions, programming, and commercial partnerships expected ahead of the December 2026 launch.
“Jabi Lake represents one of the most significant opportunities to create a world-class waterfront destination in Africa.
“Through this development, we aim to deliver experiences that attract residents, visitors, and tourists year-round while contributing to economic growth, job creation, and Nigeria’s tourism appeal.
“Our vision is to establish Jabi as a defining waterfront destination for the continent – one that demonstrates the transformative power of destination-led development and reimagines how people experience a city,” the founder of Akida Hills, Mr Kayode Bamisile, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is considering extending the deadline for its airport taxi upgrade policy to October, following concerns raised by the Nigeria Union of Private Cab Operators.
The development was disclosed on Monday in Lagos by Mr Henry Agbebire, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, saying that the possible extension followed complaints and concerns from airport cab operators, even as the authority maintained that the policy was designed to improve service standards across Nigerian airports.
“The policy aligns with international best practices and seeks to elevate service quality,” Mr Agbebire said.
He added that passengers deserved “clean, safe, comfortable and professionally maintained vehicles” within airport transport systems.
The FAAN spokesman dismissed claims that the authority had failed to engage operators on the policy, insisting that consultations had been ongoing.
He said FAAN maintained regular discussions with licensed transport providers operating within airport premises, stressing that engagement was conducted directly with corporate entities rather than unions or associations.
“Engagements on operational matters are conducted directly with affected corporate entities,” he said.
Mr Agbebire explained that discussions on the upgrade requirement began in July 2024, giving operators time to comply.
He noted that the original compliance deadline had already been extended twice—from January 2026 to June 2026—citing economic realities and the need to give operators adequate preparation time.
According to him, the policy was not intended to punish operators or restrict their participation in airport transport services.
“Operators have been afforded ample opportunity to prepare for compliance,” he stated.
However, he warned that further extensions beyond the proposed October deadline may not be granted.
Mr Agbebire acknowledged the role of airport cab operators in passenger movement, urging them to support the initiative aimed at improving service delivery.
He added that FAAN remains committed to passenger-focused reforms across Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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