Ever wondered how many international airports in Nigeria exist and their locations? You’re definitely not the first to ask the question.
Are you planning to travel abroad or within Nigeria by flight? Do you know the airport that is nearest to you and if they operate locally or internationally? These and many more would be answered in this article.
Nigeria has 30 airports with 26 of them operated by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Five of these airports are functional international airports in Nigeria.
There are also airfields across the country used mainly by the Nigerian Air Force and multinational oil companies.
International airports in Nigeria offers customs and immigration facilities to passengers travelling between countries, they are usually larger and consist of longer runways.
They have facilities to accommodate heavier aircraft used for international travel. They also host domestic flights as well.
Domestic airlines in Nigeria, on the other hand, handles flights within the country; they have smaller runways which can handle short or medium-haul aircraft and regional air traffic. They are used for interstate flights in the country.
With that being said I would be giving you the list of international airports in Nigeria and their locations. So, let’s get started.
Which Is The First Airport In Nigeria?
The first international airport in Nigeria is Mallam Aminu Kano international airport. This international airport is located in Kano state, one of the top largest states in Nigeria.
It is the first and oldest international airport in Nigeria. It started operations in 1936 before Nigeria Independence on 1st of October 1960. It was named after the politician Animu Kano.
This airport serves as a public and military airport i.e it serves civilian and military flights.
They have different runways for each civilian and military flight. The terminal facilities lie between the two runways.
The airport has both international and domestic terminals which means it is used for flights to Nigeria (international fights) and also flights within the country (domestic flights). The elevation AMSL is 1562 ft /476 m.
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List All The International Airports In Nigeria
Nigeria has a lot of airports but out of all these airports only five are international airports, I will be giving you their names and locations below.
1. Murtala Muhammed International Airport
This is one of the international airports in Nigeria located at Ikeja Lagos. It was created during World War ll.
Murtala Mohammed International airport was originally called Lagos international airport before it was renamed in 1970 after the 4th military head of state general in Nigeria Murtala Muhammed.
The international terminal of Murtala Muhammed international airport was modeled against Amsterdam airport School.
Murtala Muhammed international airport has both international and domestic terminal which are one kilometers apart, although both terminals share the same runway.
This is one of the international airports in Nigeria used by civilians only and it is a public airport. Its elevation is 135ft/ 41m and it is the major airport mainly serving the entire state.
2 Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
This is another international airport in Nigeria that is located in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. It is the main airport serving the Nigerian Capital city, it is also known as Abuja Airport and was opened in 2002.
This airport has both international and domestic terminal which shares the same runway, it was named after the first of all presidents in Nigeria – President Nnamdi Azikwe.
The airport is approximately 20km west of Abuja, with an elevation of 1123ft/342m.
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3. Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport
Also on the list of international airports in Nigeria we have Mallam Amino Kano airport which serves Kano state.
It is the first airport in Nigeria and its providing services for the whole northern region. It all makes sense as Kano state is one of the wealthiest states in Nigeria.
This airport is formerly a Royal Air force station before independence; it was named after a politician Aminu Kano.
It has both international and domestic terminals with an elevation of 1562ft/476m.
4. Port Harcourt International Airport
I also have this airport on my list of international airports in Nigeria. It is located at Omagwa, Portharcourt.
This airport operates as both international and domestic airport and it was built in 1950.
The airport has a single terminal for both international and domestic flights but has separate facilities. It is used mainly for public services and its elevation is 87ft/27m.
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5. Akanu Ibiam International Airport
This is the last on my list of international airports in Nigeria; it is located in Enugu and named after a medical doctor and statesman called Akanu Ibiam.
It is the airport serving Enugu and its nearby cities. It serves as both international and domestic airport. It is used mainly as public airport with elevation of 466ft/142m.
15 Other Major Domestic or Local Airports In Nigeria and Their Locations
Domestic airports in Nigeria are airports that handle flights that are only operational within the country.
They do not have facilities for customs and immigration hence they cannot handle flights to and from another country.
There are about 23 domestic or local airports in Nigeria. Here are few of these local airports in Nigeria:
- Margret Ekpo international airport, Calabar Cross Rivers.
- Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Airport, Bauchi.
- Kaduna airport, Kaduna.
- Maiduguri international airport, Maiduguri Borno.
- Sultan Saddik Abubakar Airport, Sokoto.
- Yakubu Gowon airport, Plateau Jos.
- Markurdi airport, Markurdi Benue.
- Ilorin airport, Ilorin Kwara
- Akure airport, Akure Ondo.
- Ibadan airport, Ibadan Oyo.
- Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri Imo.
- Gombe Lawanti international, Gombe.
- Minna airport, Minna Niger.
- Katsina airport, Katsina.
- Benin airport, Benin Edo.
Read more on local airports in Nigeria and their locations
Which Is The Best Airport In Nigeria?
Which is the best airport in Nigeria? This is a question everyone wants an answer to…….who does not want the best?
What variables should be used in determining the best airport? Is it good customer service, cheap flight prices, experience in the industry or what?
Murtala Muhammed international airport is still the best international airport in Nigeria. It is the biggest airport in Nigeria, serving over 6 million passengers in a year.
It is safe to say it is the busiest airport in the whole of Nigeria. Also, this Airport also impacts Nigeria economically and socially
The security in this airport is also top notch and flights can land at any time in this airport unlike some airports that cannot operate when it is past day time.
With this few points you will agree with me that the best airport in Nigeria is none other than Murtala Muhammed international airport Ikeja Lagos.
But still, Most airports in Nigeria still sit at the bottom of the ladder wen it comes to global rankings.
Nigerian International Airport Code
International Airports In Nigeria And Their Locations (Conclusion)
- Muritala Muhammed international airport Ikeja, Lagos.
- Nnamdi Azikwe international airport, Abuja.
- Portharcourt international airport Omagwa, Portharcourt.
- Mallam Aminu Kano international airport Kano.
- Akanu Ibiam international airport Enugu.
There you have the list of international airports in Nigeria with their locations. Note that the list is in no particular order.
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