MMA2: Responding to Growing Passenger Traffic Through Capacity Expansion, Collaborative Solutions

The rapid growth in Nigeria’s aviation market is creating new demands on airport infrastructure and operations, requiring airport operators, airlines, government agencies and other stakeholders to continuously adapt to changing passenger volumes.

The issue has come into sharper focus during the ongoing ACI Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Abuja, themed “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience.” The conference is bringing together aviation stakeholders to examine how African airports can respond to growing demand through infrastructure development, operational efficiency, digital transformation, sustainability and stronger collaboration.

Growth in Nigeria’s aviation market clearly indicates the pace of change. Nigeria recorded more than 18.8 million domestic and international passengers in 2025, representing an 11.9 per cent year-on-year increase, according to figures presented by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at the ACI Africa conference. Scheduled airline capacity also reached approximately 1.19 million seats in September 2026, representing a 37.4 per cent increase over the same period in 2025, according to OAG data.

For airport operators, this growth means capacity must be viewed beyond the physical size of a terminal. Infrastructure, airline scheduling, security deployment, road access, passenger-processing systems, technology and coordination among stakeholders must evolve together.

At Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), the response to this changing environment has involved continued investment in infrastructure, as well as measures to improve the efficiency of the entire passenger journey.

Managing Peak-Hour Demand

One key issue emerging from the growth in passenger traffic is the concentration of airline operations within particular periods of the day.

At MMA2, a significant proportion of airline schedules is concentrated within the early peak period, placing simultaneous pressure on multiple components of the passenger journey. However, the terminal has sufficient available capacity outside this highly concentrated window.

BASL is therefore engaging with airlines to adopt a level 2 schedule-coordination/slot system to better distribute demand across available capacity.

Such an approach requires close collaboration between the airport and airlines. The challenge is to ensure that any adjustment to flight schedules considers the commercial realities of airline operations, including passenger demand and potential revenue implications.

Discussions with airlines are ongoing, with the objective of developing workable options that optimise available airport capacity while improving the passenger experience.

Beyond the Screening Point

While security screening is an important component of the passenger journey, managing passenger flow effectively requires looking at the entire journey rather than focusing on a single point within the terminal.

Security screening is another important component of the passenger journey. BASL has been engaging with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on deploying adequate Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel to effectively man the available screening infrastructure during peak periods. FAAN has acknowledged the operational challenge and is already working towards solutions.

BASL has also identified road traffic and access into the airport environment as another area requiring attention. Engagements have consequently been held with the Police Airport Command, Air Force authorities, and other relevant security stakeholders to facilitate smoother traffic movement into the airport and minimise delays before passengers reach the terminal.

Technology and the Next Generation of Passenger Processing

The response to growing passenger traffic also requires airports to look beyond conventional capacity expansion and explore technology-enabled solutions.

BASL is currently in discussions with its service partners to further scale digitisation of key processes, with the objective of improving operational efficiency and reducing pressure on physical facilities.

Plans are also underway to introduce a No-Bag Zone, which will provide passengers travelling without checked baggage with a more streamlined check-in experience.

The terminal is also looking to apply Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) principles, which promote the sharing of operational information and greater coordination among airport stakeholders. The objective is to improve predictability, efficiency and decision-making across the airport ecosystem.

Building Capacity for Tomorrow

The developments at MMA2 reflect a wider reality facing the aviation industry: passenger growth is occurring at a pace that requires airport systems and processes to evolve continuously.

The discussions at the ACI Africa conference on next-generation airports, resilience, digital transformation, and operational efficiency are therefore directly relevant to the challenges confronting growing aviation markets such as Nigeria.

For BASL, the objective is to ensure that MMA2 continues to evolve with the market, not only by expanding infrastructure, but by improving how existing capacity is utilised and how the various stakeholders involved in the passenger journey work together.

As passenger numbers and airline operations continue to increase, the future of airport efficiency will increasingly depend on capacity, coordination, technology and collaboration working together.

The focus, therefore, is not simply on managing today’s passenger traffic, but on building a more coordinated, technology-enabled and resilient airport operation capable of supporting the continued growth of Nigeria’s aviation sector.

Ajoke Yinka-Olawuyi is Head of Corporate Communications

Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of MMA2, Ikeja

ayinkaolawuyi@mma2.ng 

Wole Shadare