Nigeria’s domestic airline market saw a contraction in December 2025, as total available seat capacity fell to 850,420.

Data from OAG’s Africa’s Aviation Market Monthly Airline Data Updates for December 2025 show airline capacity across major African markets, including Nigeria.

The figures indicate a 7.5 per cent year-on-year drop, underscoring a slowdown in activity within Nigeria’s domestic aviation sector.

OAG data shows that Nigeria experienced one of the sharpest declines in domestic airline capacity among major African markets, with available seats falling from 919,400 in December 2024 to 850,420 in December 2025.

In contrast, South Africa retained its position as Africa’s largest domestic aviation market, increasing capacity from 1,686,956 seats to 1,803,097 seats over the same period—an annual growth of 6.9 per cent.

Kenya also recorded growth, as domestic airline capacity increased from 420,534 seats in December 2024 to 456,500 seats in December 2025, representing an 8.6 per cent year-on-year rise.

Tanzania posted one of the strongest expansions in Africa’s domestic aviation market, with seat capacity rising from 326,990 to 415,130—an increase of 27 per cent.

In North Africa, Egypt recorded modest growth, with capacity edging up from 382,157 seats to 391,736 seats, a 2.5 per cent increase.

Algeria, however, saw a much stronger expansion, as available seats climbed from 308,039 to 388,731, representing 26.2 per growth.

Morocco also expanded its domestic market, increasing capacity from 215,149 to 240,499 seats, an 11.8 per cent rise

Cape Verde recorded the fastest percentage growth on the continent, with seat capacity jumping from 69,493 to 92,924 seats, up 33.7 per cent.

Conversely, Ethiopia saw a decline in domestic airline capacity, falling from 401,972 to 389,562 seats, while the Democratic Republic of Congo recorded one of the steepest drops, with capacity shrinking from 142,201 to 101,598 seats over the same period.

Nigeria’s reduction in domestic seat capacity is linked to multiple challenges, including limited access to dry-lease aircraft following the country’s blacklisting by the Aviation Working Group for non-compliance with the Cape Town Convention. Previous defaults by some carriers have also made aircraft leasing more difficult.