No Nigerian airport made it to the list of the world’s top 100 in the 2025 Skytrax World Airport Awards, an indication of the country’s lag in global aviation standards – even as regional peer like South Africa soared.
The awards, announced on April 9 at the Passenger Terminal EXPO in Madrid, recognized Singapore Changi Airport as the World’s Best Airport for a record 13th time. Changi also swept awards for the World’s Best Airport Dining, Washrooms, and Best Airport in Asia—cementing its reputation for combining architectural wonder with world-class service.
Meanwhile, South Africa emerged as Africa’s top aviation performer, with two of its airports earning significant global recognition. Cape Town International Airport was named the Best Airport in Africa, also winning for Best Airport Staff Service and Cleanest Airport in Africa.
Durban’s King Shaka International Airport clinched the title of Best Regional Airport in Africa. Additionally, the Intercontinental Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg was crowned Best Airport Hotel in Africa.
The contrast is sobering for Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, which operates 33 airports – including 21 under the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) – but failed to secure a single mention among the world’s 100 best. The omission raises questions about customer satisfaction, infrastructure, service quality, and overall passenger experience in Nigerian airports.
The Skytrax survey, the world’s largest annual airport customer satisfaction study, draws on evaluations from passengers of over 100 nationalities, covering 575 airports globally. Respondents rated airports on everything from check-in and security to shopping, washrooms, and gate experiences, between August 2024 and February 2025.
Doha’s Hamad International Airport, which topped the list in 2024, came in second place this year but won awards for the World’s Best Airport Shopping and Best in the Middle East. Airports from Japan, South Korea, France, Italy, and the UAE filled out the top 20.
Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax said: “It is a great achievement for Singapore Changi Airport to receive the highest award as the World’s Best Airport 2025, this being a record-breaking 13th time in the awards history that they have scooped this award. The diversity and expansive choice of dining outlets is also recognised with Changi Airport winning the award for the World’s Best Airport Dining. With washrooms being a major driver of customer satisfaction during their airport experience, we congratulate Singapore Changi Airport on receiving the first ever World’s Best Airport Washrooms award.”
The World’s Top 20 Airport for 2025
- Singapore Changi Airport
- Hamad International Airport
- Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)
- Incheon International Airport
- Narita International Airport
- Hong Kong International Airport
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
- Rome Fiumicino Airport
- Munich Airport
- Zurich Airport
- Dubai International Airport
- Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
- Vancouver International Airport
- Istanbul Airport
- Vienna International Airport
- Melbourne Airport
- Chubu Centrair International Airport
- Copenhagen Airport
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
- Bahrain International Airport
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