African airports are grappling with a financial efficiency crisis, with 80 per cent of airports on the continent reportedly unable to operate efficiently financially, as more than 500 delegates converge on Abuja for the 35th Airports Council International Africa Annual General Assembly, Regional Conference and Exhibition.
Secretary-General of ACI Africa, Ali Tounsi, disclosed this at a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday ahead of the conference. “The first question is the number of delegates. In the beginning, the estimate was about 350 to 400, but now it is 500.
“This may cause some problems with logistics because the number is exceeding what we were predicting in the beginning. Also, it demonstrates the attractiveness of Nigeria and Abuja and the interest in this event for the industry. We will have more than 500 participants and more than 40 speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors, so it will be a very good event for ACI Africa and for FAAN,” he said.
Tounsi said the conference would focus on challenges facing African airports and preparations for future demands.
“You know that the airport is not all the time efficient financially. Most of the big airports are efficient, but 80% of the airports in Africa are not efficient financially. This is the first.
“The second is the change in the environment of airports, digitalisation, and all these problems related to natural catastrophes, accidents, a lot of problems that airports are facing in Africa.”
The Chairman, Local Organising Committee and Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Henry Agbebire, said Abuja had begun welcoming delegates ahead of the event.
He said, “From 19th to 25th September 2026, Abuja will host the 35th ACI Africa Annual General Assembly, the 76th Board and Committees Meetings, Regional Conference and Exhibition, under the theme, Next-Gen Airports, Driving Performance and Resilience.”
He said the conference would provide a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas on airport performance, resilience, digital transformation, infrastructure, passenger experience, sustainability, safety and security, and commercial development.
FAAN Managing Director and Chief Executive, Olubunmi Kuku, said the agency had deployed more than 100 personnel to work with ACI Africa on preparations.
“This has been a long time coming. We’ve had a significant number of individuals, over 100 people from the Nigerian side, working very closely with ACI Africa to ensure that, one, whatever arrangements we make for this 35th Annual General Assembly give the best in-class experience.”
Kuku said FAAN was working with security and sister agencies to ensure adequate security and seamless facilitation for delegates arriving through the Lagos and Abuja international airports.
She said the conference would also enable Nigeria to showcase ongoing airport transformation and modernisation efforts. “But this conference is not about Nigeria; this conference is about Africa.
“So while it’s an opportunity for Nigeria, it’s also an opportunity for my colleagues who are managing airports across the region to be able to exchange ideas, have knowledge sessions, have learning sessions, and it’s an opportunity for us to actually come up with new ideas that support the region.”
