Analysis of air cargo traffic at airports in Nigeria and Ghana

Abstract

Fluctuations that characterise airport traffic make planning for efficient operations difficult. This study examines air cargo traffic at Murtala International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria, and Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana. The study focused on the trend of cargo volume, origin, and destination and forecasted the cargo volume at the airports. Air cargo data from 1991-2022 were collected from the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL). Descriptive techniques using line graphs and GIS mapping were used to analyse data. Time series techniques of moving and weighted averages, exponential smoothing, and least square techniques were used to forecast the cargo volume of the airports. The study found a characteristic fluctuating pattern of cargo flow. Nigeria’s dominating export cargo types are general goods, edible items, and hair attachments. Ghana’s dominating export cargo types were pineapple, general goods, and papaya. Germany, followed by Ethiopia and Turkey, dominate the origin of import cargo, while the United Kingdom, UAE, and Turkey dominate the destination of export cargo from Nigeria. Luxembourg, Turkey, and the UK dominate the origin of import cargo, while the UK, Netherlands, UAE, and Qatar dominate the destination of export cargo in Ghana. The least-square technique predicts 3.67% and 2.3% growth of cargo traffic in Nigeria and Ghana, respectively. An increasing trend in cargo volume was predicted for both airports. Both countries need to strategise on their relationships with other countries and develop policies that will increase cargo flow by air.