Senate Condemns Skyrocketing Airfares, Summons Aviation Stakeholders
The Nigerian Senate has strongly condemned the recent surge in domestic airline fares, calling them “outrageous” and “unacceptable,” and has ordered a full investigation into the matter.
Lawmakers resolved to summon key players in the aviation sector, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), airline operators, and the Festus Keyamo‑led Ministry of Aviation, to justify the sharp fare increases.
The call for urgent action came after a motion by Abdulfatai Buhari (APC–Oyo), chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, who said that over the last few months, Nigerians had expressed widespread frustration over “outrageous air fares” being levied by some carriers.
According to lawmakers at Tuesday’s plenary session, one-way tickets on key domestic routes, particularly between Lagos and Abuja, have reportedly spiked to as much as ₦500,000 to ₦650,000, compared to the ₦150,000, ₦250,000 range considered “normal.”
Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, backed the motion and labeled the fare hikes “exploitative.” He added that the scenario might have been different if a national carrier, Nigeria Air, were already operational.
The Senate directed the Committee on Aviation to summon the stakeholders immediately and hold hearings before the end-of-year recess, with the aim of presenting recommendations aimed at restoring affordable air travel for Nigerians.