Nigeria’s poor airport experience is undermining its tourism potential and could discourage repeat visits, aviation expert and Acting MD/CEO, Ibom Air, George Uriesi has warned.
Uriesi, speaking at the Naija7Wonders conference, described arrival processes at Murtala Muhammed International Airport as “chaotic” and inconsistent with global standards.
“The airport is the gateway to Nigeria, the face of the country. But what people experience is harassment and confusion,” he said.
He criticised practices such as excessive checks in “nothing to declare” zones, multiple unofficial checkpoints, and poor passenger handling.
“Everywhere else in the world, ‘nothing to declare’ means you pass. In Nigeria, that’s where the problem starts,” he noted.
According to him, while most Detty December visitors are Nigerians accustomed to the system, the small percentage of foreign visitors often leave with negative impressions.
“They will say, ‘It was fun, but I’m not coming back,’ because of the inconvenience,” he added.
Uriesi called for urgent reforms, including improved passenger processing, better staff conduct, and a shift toward a more welcoming airport culture.
“Let people arrive and hear, ‘Welcome to Nigeria,’ not harassment,” he said.
