Togo-Covid-19: Decrease in passenger traffic at Lomé airport

On the rise in recent years since the modernization of infrastructure, passenger traffic saw a significant halt in 2020 at Gnassingbé Eyadema International Airport (AIGE) in Lomé.

While the number of passengers registered on the platform stood at 459,961, up from 916,659 in 2019, it drop of around 50%, as the figures from the Ministry of Transport reveal.

It is mainly explained by the Covid-19 pandemic which has pinned planes to the ground for many months, everywhere in the world (-60% for global air transport).

Indeed, shortly after the detection of the first case of coronavirus on Togolese soil (February 2020), the Government had decided, among other measures, to close national air borders in March, and therefore to suspend flights.

Activities did not resume gradually until August with the official reopening of the borders.

Despite this poor performance, Lomé Airport was still ranked in the Continental Top 10 platforms with the most intra-African passenger volume, by the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).

As a reminder, AIGE, which now has an annual capacity of around 2 million passengers, plans to double its performance in the coming years, in line with government ambitions.

Ten (10) companies currently provide regular service there, with an average of 130 weekly flights.