“A hub isn’t a large airport… an airport becomes a hub when more than 30% of arriving passengers transit through it.”
That was the blunt, almost corrective assertion from Managing Director of Ibom Air, George Uriesi, as he cut through what he described as a persistent misconception in Nigeria’s aviation discourse: the belief that infrastructure size alone defines hub status.
Speaking with clarity and urgency, Uriesi reframed the conversation, insisting that the future of Nigeria’s aviation sector and its contribution to national economic growth hinges not on building bigger airports, but on building smarter, connected systems that prioritise transit traffic.
“A hub is when between 30% and up to 95% of your traffic is transiting,” he explained. “Passengers are arriving at your airport to go somewhere else and returning through your airport to go home. That’s when you become a hub.”
His argument is both technical and strategic. Airports that merely process origin-and-destination traffic, no matter how modern or expensive, remain limited in economic impact. “You can be a $100 million airport and not be a hub,” he said. “You’ll just be handling point-to-point traffic. You’re not a hub.”
Transit challenge and small airline syndrome
At the heart of Nigeria’s struggle to build a viable transit hub system, Uriesi identified what he termed the “small airline syndrome.” Meanwhile, the fragmented and under-scaled nature of domestic carriers continues to weaken connectivity.
“The airline industry is very small at the moment,” he noted. “And sitting small is very dangerous. You’re only one step away from leaving the business if you’re small.”
For a hub to function effectively, there must be a strong, home-based carrier capable of feeding routes and sustaining transit flows. Therefore, without such scale, even the best-designed airport infrastructure becomes underutilised.
“A hub is where planes arrive because they have a home-based route that can connect passengers,” he said, emphasising that connectivity not just capacity is the lifeblood of hub operations.
Passenger experience shapes transit choices
Uriesi also turned attention to a less discussed but decisive factor: passenger experience. In addition, he stressed that travellers increasingly choose routes based on ease and efficiency.
Using a practical scenario, he explained that a passenger flying from Dakar to Mauritius must transit through another airport. Given a choice between Accra and Lagos, most travellers prefer Accra.
“The default setting for most people is to travel via Accra,” he said. “They are thinking about the airport experience when they arrive.”
However, he criticised inconsistencies in Nigeria’s passenger processing systems, noting that outdated procedures undermine new infrastructure investments. “We built a new terminal in Lagos, design flaws and all, but you still find the same old processes,” he said. “That defeats the purpose.”
He pointed to global standards promoted by the International Air Transport Association, including simplified customs channels, as essential to improving transit efficiency.
Building Nigeria’s first true transit hub
Despite these constraints, Uriesi disclosed plans to develop what he described as Nigeria’s first purpose-built transit hub terminal. The facility is designed to integrate domestic and international passenger flows seamlessly.
The objective, he said, is to create a smooth stopover experience for passengers connecting through Uyo. Meanwhile, routes linking Abuja to regional destinations such as Libreville and Malabo will benefit from improved connectivity.
“You’ll call all your friends and say from now on, go through Uyo because of the airport experience,” he said.
To achieve this, Uriesi emphasised aligning infrastructure, airline capacity, and service delivery. In addition, investment in personnel and streamlined immigration processes will be critical to delivering a world-class transit experience.
Lome model proves transit potential
Uriesi reinforced his argument with a compelling example from Lome. Although smaller than Nigerian cities, Lome has successfully developed into a transit hub through deliberate strategy and airline partnership.
In 2009, the airport handled fewer than 350,000 passengers. However, with the expansion of ASKY Airlines, traffic surged to 1.6 million passengers, with 97% classified as transit travellers.
“Only 3% were going to or leaving Lome,” he noted. “Ninety-seven percent were transfer passengers.”
The transformation triggered infrastructure upgrades, foreign investment, and job creation. Therefore, Uriesi argued that transfer traffic can drive broader economic growth beyond aviation.
Responsibility, reform and transit growth
Uriesi maintained that Nigeria has the capacity to replicate such success but must embrace responsibility and coordinated reform. Meanwhile, policy alignment and execution remain critical to unlocking transit potential.
“And we are the ones who should do it,” he said. “But without responsibility, we never allow ourselves to.”
He expressed optimism about ongoing leadership efforts within the sector, particularly at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. However, he stressed that implementation must match ambition.
In the final analysis, Uriesi’s message is clear: transit not terminal size defines a true hub. Without connectivity, coordination, and commitment, Nigeria’s aviation ambitions will remain grounded.
