The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has projected rapid growth in air exports as Nigeria-United Kingdom bilateral trade hits £8.1 billion.

FAAN’s managing director, Olubunmi Kuku, made the projection at a forum hosted by the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, according to a statement by the authority on Thursday.

Ms Kuku was represented at the occasion by FAAN’s director of Cargo Development and Services, Lekan Thomas. According to her, Nigeria-United Kingdom bilateral trade recorded an 11.4 per cent year-on-year increase, while the United Kingdom’s imports from Nigeria stood at £2.4 billion.

Ms Kuku said this showed a rise in market opportunities within the aviation sector. She said a one to five per cent increase in exports could generate an additional $25 million to $125 million in revenue.

Ms Kuku said the UK’s decision to grant duty-free or reduced tariffs on over 3,000 Nigerian products was a major opportunity for exporters, particularly in agriculture, manufacturing, and emerging sectors.

She noted that the United Kingdom was Nigeria’s largest source of capital inflows, with $2.94 billion recorded in the third quarter of 2025 alone.

According to her, Nigeria should be ready to sell consistently, competitively, and on a large scale in the United Kingdom’s market.

She said strong government backing for aviation reforms, as being done by the President Bola Tinubu administration, had helped restore investor confidence and strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Ms Kuku said FAAN was advancing infrastructure upgrades, digital cargo systems and incentives to attract more cargo airlines and position Nigeria to capture a larger share of the global air freight market.

“With the right systems in place, Nigeria is well-positioned to scale exports, deepen trade with the United Kingdom, and become a leading air cargo hub in Africa,” Ms Kuku said. 

(NAN)