Nigeria collected an estimated $62 million in airline ticket taxes in 2024, according to newly published figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The revenue places the country among Africa’s notable contributors to aviation-related tax income for the year.
Globally, governments earned $60.3 billion from ticket taxes, while Africa accounted for $1.97 billion of the total. The continent’s average tax rate stood at $14.9 per passenger, higher than Asia-Pacific but still below the levels in North and South America.
IATA’s breakdown shows that although Africa’s overall share of global ticket-tax revenue remains modest, several countries—including Nigeria—play key roles due to their position as major air travel hubs. South Africa led the continent with an estimated $410 million, followed by Egypt ($360 million), Ethiopia ($310 million), Morocco ($295 million), and Kenya ($215 million). These states host some of Africa’s busiest airports, driving up their contributions.
North America continued to dominate worldwide ticket-tax collections, generating $34.1 billion—the highest of any region. Passengers there paid an average of $23.4 in taxes on domestic flights and nearly $49.8 on international routes, the steepest rates globally. Europe ranked second, with combined domestic and international ticket taxes amounting to $14.5 billion, driven by broad-based charges averaging $12.1 per ticket.
South and Central America recorded some of the highest international travel tax rates—averaging $45.5 per ticket—but total revenue remained comparatively lower due to reduced passenger traffic. Meanwhile, the Middle East stood out as the only region with no ticket-specific taxes.
For Africa, most of the continent’s revenue was derived from international flights, contributing almost the entire $1.97 billion, while domestic ticket taxes amounted to only $49 million. International passengers paid an average of $20.7 per ticket.
Nigeria’s tax burden on air travelers increased further on December 1, 2025, following the introduction of an additional $11.5 security levy tied to the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS). This raised the total mandatory security charge to $31.50 per international ticket.
According to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the APIS levy applies to all tickets issued from December 1 for passengers arriving in or departing from the country. Airlines are required to collect the charge at the point of sale and remit it directly to the aviation regulator.
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