Africa's 10 busiest airports based on passenger traffic

By Brian Okoth

Cairo International Airport in Egypt was Africa's busiest airport in 2022, with a passenger traffic of 20 million, the Airports Council International (ACI) says.

Records show that the Egyptian airport could retain its top spot in 2023. The facility processed more than 26 million passengers in 2023, the Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry's data shows.

The passenger traffic comprises both domestic and international travellers.

Out of Cairo International Airport's 20 million passengers in 2022, more than 16.5 million (83%) were classified as international travellers.

South African airport takes second spot

The Egyptian facility occupied the second spot in Africa in 2019 (behind South Africa's Oliver Reginald (OR) Tambo International Airport), first in 2021, and first again in 2022.

The OR Tambo International Airport in Gauteng Province came second in Africa in 2022, processing nearly 14.8 million passengers in total, with almost 6 million of the passengers being international travellers, ACI data shows.

The South African air station could retain its second spot in 2023, with records showing that in November 2023 alone, it processed 1.5 million passengers.

Cape Town International Airport came third in Africa in 2022, processing nearly 7.9 million passengers, with most of its travellers being domestic passengers. Between January and August 2023, it recorded 1.7 million two-way international passengers.

Moroccan airport comes fourth

Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca, Morocco was fourth in Africa, with 7.6 million passengers in 2022. Most of its passengers were international travellers – 6.8 million (89%).

Hurghada International Airport in Egypt processed nearly 7.2 million passengers to take the fifth spot in 2022. More than 6.5 million of its passengers (90%) were international travellers.

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Ethiopia processed almost 6.7 million passengers to take the sixth position, with 3.8 million (57%) of the passengers being international travellers.

Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) took the seventh position in 2022, with a 6.56 million passenger record. Almost 4.7 million of the passengers (72%) were international travellers.

Nigerian airport completes the top ten

Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, Nigeria saw at least 6.53 million passengers use the facility in 2022, positioning it as eighth-busiest airport in Africa. Most of its passengers were domestic in nature.

Alger Houari Boumédiene Airport in Algeria came ninth in 2022, processing 6.3 million passengers, with 4.1 million of them (65%) being international travellers.

Nigeria's Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in the capital Abuja processed nearly 6 million passengers in 2022 to round out Africa's ten busiest airports. Most of the passengers were domestic in nature.

"All the top ten airports in terms of total passengers represented 50% of overall passenger traffic in Africa in 2022," ACI said in its report.

North Africa leads

North Africa accounted for the bulk of air travels in Africa, at 45%; followed by Southern Africa (21%), East Africa (17%), West Africa (16%) and Central Africa (1%).

Based on country, Egypt processed the highest number of air travellers in 2022 (37.9 million), followed by South Africa (30.1 million), Morocco (20.5 million), Nigeria (14.2 million) and Kenya (9 million).

"The passenger traffic in Africa is quite dependent on the international passenger traffic, with the latter representing 60% of overall passenger traffic in 2022 and 65% in 2019," ACI said.

Summary: Africa's 10 busiest airports based on total passenger traffic

1. 1. Cairo International Airport (Egypt) – 20m
2. 2. OR Tambo International Airport (South Africa) – 14.8m
3. 3. Cape Town International Airport (South Africa) – 7.9m
4. 4. Mohammed V Airport (Morocco) – 7.6m
5. 5. Hurghada International Airport (Egypt) – 7.2m
6. 6. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (Ethiopia) – 6.7m
7. 7. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Kenya) – 6.56m
8. 8. Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos (Nigeria) – 6.53m
9. 9. Alger Houari Boumédiene Airport (Algeria) – 6.3m
10. 10. Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (Nigeria) – 6m

12. Africa's 10 airports with highest international passenger traffic

1. 1. Cairo International Airport (Egypt) – 16.5m
2. 2. Mohammed V Airport (Morocco) – 6.8m
3. 3. Hurghada International Airport (Egypt) – 6.5m
4. 4. OR Tambo International Airport (South Africa) – 6m
5. 5. Tunis Carthage International Airport (Tunisia) – 5.3m
6. 6. Marrakech Ménara Airport (Morocco) – 4.74m
7. 7. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Kenya) – 4.69m
8. 8. Alger Houari Boumédiene Airport (Algeria) – 4.1m
9. 9. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (Ethiopia) – 3.8m
10. 10. Sharm El Sheikh International Airport (Egypt) – 3.7m

14. Africa's 10 airports with highest number of aircraft movement – into and out of the facility

    1. 1. OR Tambo International Airport (South Africa) – 174,624
    2. 2. Cairo International Airport (Egypt) – 163,579
    3. 3. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (Ethiopia) – 108,244
    4. 4. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Kenya) – 93,983
    5. 5. Murtala Muhammed Airport (Nigeria) – 93,979
    6. 6. Wilson Airport (Kenya) – 90,689
    7. 7. Cape Town International Airport (South Africa) – 88,183
    8. 8. Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (Nigeria) – 88,042
    9. 9. Mohammed V Airport (Morocco) – 68,362
    10. 10. Alger Houari Boumédiene Airport (Algeria) – 57,790