20 airports that left Nigeria and South Africa in the dust for 2025
Nigeria, South Africa, and Africa miss the top 20 in 2025 World’s Best Airports as Singapore Changi wins again, per CNN/Skytrax. Cape Town is named Best in Africa.
In a recent global ranking of the world’s top airports for 2025, the African continent was notably missing from the prestigious top 20 list.
Waka Waka Doctor reports that the annual World Airport Awards, organised by air transport rating organisation Skytrax, crowned Singapore Changi Airport as the World’s Best Airport for the 13th time, highlighting its unrivalled facilities and passenger experience.
The best Airports
Changi, a Singaporean mega-hub, is celebrated as a destination in itself, featuring the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, a 10-story Jewel shopping mall with 80 million visitors in 2024, indoor gardens, a butterfly centre, spas, a cinema, and even a dinosaur theme park.
The airport also secured awards for World’s Best Airport Dining, Best Airport Washrooms, and Best Airport in Asia during the awards ceremony held in Madrid on April 9, according to the report.
With over $2 billion earmarked for enhancements and a fifth terminal set to open in the 2030s, Changi continues to set the global standard.
The top 20 list, based on a Skytrax survey of customers at 565 airports worldwide, was dominated by Asian and European hubs.
Hamad International in Qatar took second place, earning Best Airport Shopping and Best Airport in the Middle East accolades.
Asian airports claimed spots three through six, with Tokyo Haneda (World’s Cleanest Airport), Seoul’s Incheon (World’s Best Airport Staff), Narita, and Hong Kong International leading the pack.
Europe secured nine spots, with Paris Charles de Gaulle (No. 7, Best Airport in Europe) and Rome Fiumicino (No. 8) among the highest-ranked. Vancouver International (No. 13) was the sole representative from the Americas.
Africa’s only mention was Cape Town Airport, which, while not in the top 20, was named Best Airport in Africa and Best Airport Staff Service in Africa and the Cleanest Airport in Africa
However, major African aviation hubs like Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport and Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport were conspicuously absent from the global rankings.
This gap reminds us of the challenges African airports face in matching the infrastructure, amenities, and passenger experiences offered by their Asian and European counterparts.
The rankings highlight a broader trend: Asian airports continue to lead in innovation and passenger satisfaction, while African airports, despite serving millions annually, struggle to break into the global elite.
For travellers across Africa, the absence of local airports on this list may signal a need for greater investment in facilities, services, and operational efficiency to compete on the world stage.
World’s Top 20 Airports
- Singapore Changi Airport
- Hamad International Airport
- Tokyo Haneda Airport
- 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
