•Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)
Tension is brewing in the Nigerian aviation industry over the plan of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to increase cargo tariffs by 257 per cent.
It was learnt that, effective Monday, February 2, 2026, FAAN would increase the cargo tariff from the current N7 per kg to N25 per kg, a development causing unrest in the industry, reports The Guardian.
The President of the Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Otunba Frank Ogunnojemite, in a telephone interview with The Guardian, confirmed the development.
He lamented that the new development would further negatively impact cargo and other businesses across the country.
Ogunnojemite insisted that the increase was against the advice and objections of key industry stakeholders during one of the body’s interactions with FAAN management on the issue.
He regretted that this would significantly escalate the cost of air cargo operations, discourage exports, increase import costs, and ultimately place additional pressure on Nigerian businesses and consumers.
He said: “The Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) expresses deep concern over the upward review of cargo charges from N7 to N25 per kilogram, effective 2nd February 2026, despite the subvention and other revenue streams available to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
“APFFLON questions the rationale behind this sharp increment, especially in the absence of corresponding infrastructure upgrades and service improvements, and at a time when government policy is aimed at reducing the cost of doing business in Nigeria.”
He called on the management of FAAN to, as a matter of urgency, review and suspend this decision in the interest of trade facilitation, economic stability and national competitiveness.
FAAN, in a statement yesterday, had said that following the stabilisation of operational processes and the closure of major revenue leakages, it was positioned to implement its approved tariff adjustment, effective 2 February 2026.
According to FAAN, the tariff increase, initially scheduled for 2025, was deliberately deferred to allow time to address systemic inefficiencies.
FAAN, in the statement, also confirmed that it recorded significant improvements in cargo operational efficiency and revenue performance following strategic reforms implemented by its Cargo Development and Services Directorate.
FAAN said: “An operational report released by the authority shows that recent adjustments to legacy processes are already yielding measurable results, with improved revenue assurance across major cargo terminals.
“A key reform highlighted in the report is the relocation of FAAN operational staff and revenue-collection desks back into cargo warehouses. This, alongside enhanced monitoring of unaccompanied luggage, has effectively blocked major revenue leakages that previously affected cargo operations.
“Despite a decline in cargo throughput in 2025 compared to 2024, FAAN recorded higher revenue generation and significantly improved collection efficiency during the same period.”
