Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) is exploring measures to manage rising passenger traffic by improving the use of existing facilities, strengthening flight scheduling and expanding the use of technology.
The terminal operator, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), said the measures were becoming necessary as Nigeria’s aviation sector continued to grow and place greater pressure on airport infrastructure and passenger-processing systems.
BASL’s Head of Corporate Communications, Ajoke Yinka-Olawuyi, disclosed this in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday.
She said Nigeria recorded more than 18.8 million domestic and international passengers in 2025, representing an 11.9 per cent increase from the previous year.
According to her, airline capacity had also expanded significantly, with scheduled capacity reaching about 1.19 million seats in September 2026. She said the figure represented a 37.4 per cent increase compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
Yinka-Olawuyi said airport capacity should not be assessed solely by the physical size of terminal facilities, noting that flight scheduling, passenger processing, security deployment, road access, technology and coordination among stakeholders also affected how efficiently an airport could handle passengers.
She explained that a large proportion of airline operations at MMA2 was concentrated during early peak periods, placing pressure on different stages of the passenger journey despite available capacity at other times.
To address the situation, she said BASL was engaging airlines on the possible adoption of a Level 2 schedule-coordination and slot system aimed at spreading passenger demand more evenly across available capacity.
She noted, however, that any adjustment to flight schedules would have to take into account the commercial realities of airline operations, including passenger demand and revenue considerations.
On passenger screening, Yinka-Olawuyi said BASL was working with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on the deployment of adequate aviation security personnel during peak periods to make better use of existing screening facilities.
She said FAAN had acknowledged the operational challenge and was working towards possible solutions.
Traffic congestion and access around the airport were also identified as areas requiring attention. According to Yinka-Olawuyi, BASL had engaged the Police Airport Command, Air Force authorities and other security stakeholders on measures to improve traffic movement within the airport environment.
The terminal operator is also pursuing technology-based measures to improve passenger processing. Yinka-Olawuyi said discussions were ongoing with service partners on expanding the digitisation of key processes.
She added that plans were being developed to introduce a No-Bag Zone for passengers travelling without checked baggage, which could allow eligible travellers to complete check-in more quickly and reduce pressure on physical facilities.
BASL is also considering the use of Airport Collaborative Decision Making principles, which involve greater sharing of operational information among airport stakeholders to improve coordination and decision-making.
Yinka-Olawuyi said the measures formed part of the terminal operator’s broader efforts to keep MMA2 prepared for continued growth in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
She said the approach was not limited to expanding physical infrastructure but also involved making better use of existing capacity and improving coordination among the different stakeholders involved in the passenger journey.
The initiatives come as aviation stakeholders participate in discussions at the 2026 ACI Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition in Abuja, where issues including airport infrastructure, operational efficiency, digital transformation, sustainability and collaboration are being examined.
BASL said its objective was to develop a more coordinated and technology-driven operation capable of supporting the continued growth of passenger traffic at MMA2.