West Africa sits on one of the most promising air-travel corridors on the planet—but it still doesn’t really have a true, world-class hub comparable to Addis Ababa, Nairobi, or Johannesburg. This paper looks at what it would actually take to build such a hub, the benefits it would unlock, and why, despite decades of talk, it hasn’t fully happened yet.
1. Context: West Africa’s Aviation Opportunity
1.1 Geographic and demographic fundamentals
The Lagos–Abidjan coastal corridor alone already links multiple fast-growing metro areas (Lagos, Cotonou, Lomé, Accra, Abidjan) into a mega-region, sometimes projected to exceed 50 million people in coming decades. Air traffic in Africa overall is forecast to grow around 4.1% annually over the next 20 years, with Central and West Africa among the faster-growing subregions.
Yet multiple studies have noted that West Africa still lacks a robust hub-and-spoke structure; many city pairs have no direct air link and travelers are often routed through Europe or the Middle East.
1.2 Existing proto-hubs
There are emerging hubs, but none yet dominates regionally in the way Addis Ababa does for East Africa:
Lomé (Togo) with ASKY Airlines functions as a de facto West/Central African connector, marketing itself explicitly as a regional hub. Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) and Accra (Ghana) have growing networks with 30–35+ international destinations each and strong Europe/Africa links. Lagos (Nigeria) is home to West Africa’s largest carrier, Air Peace, with a growing intercontinental network and a new large MRO facility under construction.
However, these airports face constraints in infrastructure, regulatory openness, and airline strength that prevent any from functioning as a dominant connecting hub for all of West Africa.
2. What It Would Take to Build a True West African Hub
A successful hub is not just a big airport; it’s a tightly integrated system of infrastructure, liberalized air rights, strong airlines, and predictable governance. Key components:
2.1 Strategic positioning and market definition
Catchment analysis: Define the hub’s primary catchment (e.g., entire ECOWAS region plus Sahel states) and secondary catchment (Central Africa, onward links to Europe, Middle East, Americas). Target role: Decide whether the hub is mainly: Intra-African connector (linking West/Central/Sahel), Africa–Europe/Middle East transfer point, Or a hybrid. Complementarity with surface transport: Coordinate with major road and rail corridors such as the Abidjan–Lagos Highway, itself seen as a future “economic and industrial corridor,” to ensure seamless multimodal logistics.
2.2 Physical airport infrastructure
To support hub-and-spoke operations at scale, an airport needs:
Runways and airside capacity At least one long runway (3,600+ m) capable of handling wide-body aircraft at high frequency, ideally with a parallel taxiway and space for a second runway. High-capacity apron space, rapid-exit taxiways, and modern air traffic control systems to minimize delays. Passenger terminals built for transfers Pier and gate layout allowing short walking distances between arrivals and departures. Ample immigration counters and e-gates to handle connecting passengers quickly. Baggage systems designed for rapid transfer, not just origin–destination traffic. Cargo facilities Integrated cargo terminal with cold-chain capabilities (perishable goods), warehousing, and customs designed for fast clearance. Landside access for trucks linking the airport to regional logistics corridors. Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) On-site or nearby MRO capabilities reduce aircraft downtimes and outflows of foreign exchange; projects like Air Peace’s large MRO facility in Nigeria point toward how such infrastructure can anchor hub ambitions. Reliable utilities and resilience Stable electricity (with redundancy), robust fuel supply, and resilient ICT networks—areas ECOWAS studies have flagged as systemic weaknesses in West African infrastructure.
2.3 Regulatory and policy framework
Infrastructure alone cannot create a hub; policy must allow traffic to concentrate.
Full implementation of air-service liberalization Many West African countries have signed continental liberalization initiatives (Yamoussoukro Decision and SAATM), but implementation lags. A hub state would need to: Grant broad 3rd–5th freedom rights to African carriers. Simplify and standardize bilaterals. Cap or reduce taxes and charges that make West African tickets among the world’s most expensive. Independent, credible civil aviation authority Safety oversight that meets ICAO standards, free from day-to-day political interference. Transparent slot allocation, non-discriminatory access to facilities. Visa and border reforms Expand visa-free or visa-on-arrival regimes within ECOWAS, and streamline transit visa policies for non-ECOWAS travelers. Digitized border control and advance passenger information systems.
2.4 Anchor airlines and hub business model
A hub needs one or more strong home-based carriers and a coherent network strategy:
Anchor carrier(s) At least one financially robust airline based at the hub operating a mixed narrow-body/wide-body fleet. Schedules organized into banks (waves) that synchronize arrivals and departures to minimize connection times. Alliances and partnerships Membership in a global alliance or strategic codeshare partnerships with European, Middle Eastern, and intra-African carriers to feed traffic. Balanced market mix Design of routes to balance: High-yield business and government traffic (Abuja, Dakar, Luanda, etc.), VFR (visiting friends and relatives) traffic, Tourism (e.g., Gambia, Cape Verde, Ghana’s “Year of Return” type traffic), Cargo (fresh produce, pharmaceuticals, textiles). Cost-effective hub design Studies on African hubs emphasize that to be competitive, hubs must minimize turnaround times and unit costs through efficient ground handling, right-sized aircraft, and lean operations.
2.5 Digital and operational systems
Integrated airport operating systems, slot coordination, and collaborative decision-making platforms. Real-time data sharing among airport, airlines, and regulators. Modern reservation and revenue-management systems for the anchor airline(s).
2.6 Safety, security, and quality standards
Full compliance with ICAO safety audits and IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) where applicable. Visible, consistent security protocols to reassure international partners. Passenger experience standards (on-time performance, cleanliness, customer service) to make the hub attractive as a transfer point versus rival hubs outside West Africa.
2.7 Financing and governance
Public–Private Partnership (PPP) models can bring in global airport operators and financiers while preserving some state oversight. Long-term concession structures with clear performance metrics, to shield airport operations from rapid political swings. Regional co-ownership models (e.g., the old Air Afrique idea) could be re-imagined with much stronger corporate governance and private capital participation.
3. Benefits of a West African Aviation Hub
3.1 Direct economic impact
Liberalized, better-connected air markets have demonstrable effects on growth:
IATA and AU-commissioned studies on SAATM show that liberalizing air services can significantly boost traffic, GDP, and jobs by lowering fares and increasing connectivity.
A well-functioning hub would:
Generate thousands of direct jobs (airport staff, airline employees, MRO technicians) and many more indirect jobs in tourism, logistics, and services. Attract foreign investment into hotel chains, business parks, and logistics centers around the hub (aerotropolis development). Reduce capital flight by keeping aircraft maintenance, training, and other services within the region.
3.2 Regional integration and trade
Easier, cheaper intra-regional travel reduces reliance on European or Middle Eastern hubs for intra-African journeys—critical when 70–80% of intra-African city pairs remain unserved or under-served. Fast passenger and cargo links support ECOWAS integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), complementing projects like the Abidjan–Lagos corridor highway. Landlocked Sahelian states (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) gain shorter access to global markets via the hub.
3.3 Tourism, culture, and soft power
A hub becomes a gateway city, increasing tourist arrivals through stopover programs, conferences, and events. Cultural exports (music, film, fashion) gain easier access to regional and global audiences. The hub city and host country gain symbolic status as a regional leader, amplifying diplomatic influence.
3.4 System-wide connectivity and resilience
Concentrating traffic at one or two robust hubs creates scale economies that can sustain more destinations and higher frequencies. During crises (epidemics, security incidents, natural disasters), a well-managed hub improves evacuation capacity, humanitarian logistics, and continuity of essential travel.
4. Why It Hasn’t Really Happened Yet
If the benefits are so obvious, why is West Africa still largely without a top-tier hub? The reasons are structural and mutually reinforcing.
4.1 Fragmented markets and weak liberalization
Despite the Yamoussoukro Decision and SAATM, many African states—including in West Africa—still protect national carriers via restrictive bilaterals, limited 5th-freedom rights, and high charges on foreign airlines. This fragmentation prevents traffic from concentrating and keeps many potential routes commercially marginal.
4.2 High operating costs and taxes
Analyses of West African aviation routinely highlight very high airport charges, taxes, and fuel costs, often making it more expensive to fly between two West African capitals than from West Africa to Europe or North America. High costs depress demand, limit frequency, and discourage the kind of network experimentation needed to discover which routes can sustain hub-and-spoke patterns.
4.3 History of failed or fragile airlines
West Africa has a long list of airline failures:
Air Afrique, a multinational West and Central African carrier, collapsed in 2002 after years of mismanagement, debt, and inability to adapt to post-9/11 industry changes. Nigeria’s aviation history is “chock full of failed airlines and failed attempts to rehabilitate failing airlines,” with examples like Nigeria Airways and later troubles at Arik Air. Academic work on African airline failures points to under-capitalization, poor governance, politicized decision-making, and institutional weaknesses.
Without stable anchor carriers, it is very hard to sustain hub operations over many years.
4.4 Governance and institutional weaknesses
ECOWAS infrastructure assessments note safety issues, unreliable power, and administrative bottlenecks that raise the cost and risk of large-scale aviation investments. IATA has repeatedly urged African governments to improve safety oversight, reduce the cost burden on airlines, and resolve the problem of blocked airline funds—issues that directly deter hub development.
In many cases, aviation agencies lack operational autonomy, and strategic decisions are driven by short-term political cycles rather than long-term hub strategy.
4.5 Everyone wants to be the hub; no one wants to be the feeder
Multiple cities—Lagos, Accra, Abidjan, Lomé, Dakar, Cotonou—aspire to hub status. But a true hub-and-spoke system implies that some airports will be primarily feeders, not hubs, which can be politically unattractive. This leads to duplication of effort, under-scaled “mini hubs,” and a regional prisoner’s-dilemma problem where no single hub reaches critical mass.
4.6 Competition from extra-regional hubs
Airlines like Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and European legacy carriers aggressively serve West Africa, routing passengers through Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, Paris, etc. These hubs offer high frequency, global connectivity, and strong brand recognition. For many West African travelers, it’s still more convenient to connect via Europe or the Gulf than via another African country.
4.7 Safety perceptions and skills shortages
Historic safety concerns, though improving, still affect perceptions of African carriers. There is a shortage of trained aviation professionals (pilots, air-traffic controllers, engineers) in parts of the region, limiting the pace at which operations can safely expand.
5. What a Realistic Roadmap Might Look Like
If a government (or coalition of governments) wanted to change this, a credible roadmap could include:
Pick a lead hub (or at most two complementary hubs) Base the choice on objective criteria: existing traffic, infrastructure readiness, political stability, and willingness to liberalize. Make a bold liberalization offer Fully implement SAATM rights at the hub airport, including liberal fifth-freedom rights for African carriers. Reduce or restructure aviation taxes and charges to make the hub cost-competitive. Negotiate regional buy-in Offer neighboring states preferential access, equity stakes in airport projects, or revenue-sharing formulas in exchange for routing traffic through the hub. Tie this into AfCFTA and ECOWAS objectives to frame the hub as a regional, not purely national, project. Reform governance of the anchor airline(s) Depoliticize airline management, bring in experienced aviation executives, and ensure transparent financial reporting. Structure ownership to include private and possibly foreign strategic investors with expertise. Invest in people and safety first Prioritize training of pilots, controllers, and engineers through partnerships with established global training centers. Aim for exemplary safety records and fast progress on ICAO/IATA audits to attract international partners. Phase physical expansion sensibly Start with optimizing current facilities (better scheduling, fast-track connections) while planning scalable terminal and runway expansions. Use PPPs to spread capital costs and import operational know-how. Integrate with ground transport and urban planning Ensure high-quality road/rail links from the airport to the city and to cross-border corridors like Abidjan–Lagos. Plan an “airport city/aerotropolis” with zoning that supports logistics, hotels, conference centers, and light industry.
6. Conclusion
West Africa has all the raw ingredients for a major aviation hub: a dense, rapidly urbanizing population corridor; growing economies; a central time zone; and strong demand for both intra-African and intercontinental travel. What it lacks is not potential, but alignment—between states, regulators, airlines, and financiers.
To build a genuine hub, the region needs:
Policy courage (to liberalize and accept that not every airport can be a hub), Institutional discipline (to avoid the governance failures that sank previous airlines), Smart investment (in people, safety, and scalable infrastructure), And regional thinking (treating the hub as a shared asset for ECOWAS, not just a national trophy).
If those pieces come together, a West African hub could dramatically reduce travel times and costs, deepen regional integration, and keep far more of the value of African aviation on the continent itself—finally allowing West African aviation to “take off” in a way that matches its demographic and economic promise.
Edge Induced Cohesion 