By Comfort
Nigerians have flooded social media with complaints over the soaring cost of domestic flight tickets this Christmas season. Lawmakers in the National Assembly have also voiced concerns, arguing that airfares are far beyond the reach of the average citizen.
During a plenary session at the Senate this week, several senators expressed shock at current flight prices. Senator Onyekachi of Ebonyi North recounted discovering that a one-way ticket from Abuja to Enugu on December 13th costs N500,000 with Air Peace and N460,000 with Ibom Air, calling it “unheard of.”
Senator Adamu Aliero noted that traveling to Kebbi would cost nearly N700,000, describing it as unaffordable. Similarly, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari highlighted that flights from Abuja to Lagos now range from N400,000 to N650,000, Abuja to Enugu costs approximately N500,000, and Abuja to Ilorin is around N450,000.
Passengers have also voiced frustration. FS Yusuf, reacting to a Lagos-Owerri flight costing N499,998 via Air Peace, described the fare as “pure wickedness” for a flight lasting less than an hour.
Government Response and Industry Pushback
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, told State House correspondents that the government cannot regulate prices for private airlines. However, stakeholders argue that with taxes, levies, and charges accounting for over 50% of ticket prices, the government has significant influence in making flights more affordable.
Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, spokesperson for the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), stated that airfares would decrease if the federal government reduced the multiple taxes airlines face—currently up to 18 per ticket—which heavily influence high ticket prices.
Airline Perspective on Seasonal Fares
United Nigeria Airlines’ Chief Commercial Officer, Raphael Uchegbu, defended the Christmas season pricing, explaining that fares reflect operational costs and the economics of demand and supply. He noted that some routes still have tickets priced between N95,000 and N125,000.
Uchegbu explained that high seasonal fares account for empty return flights. “During Christmas, fares are often doubled because the plane has to return empty. For instance, a ticket to Anambra may cost over N300,000 to cover both legs,” he said.
Operational costs vary by airport, with Anambra among the most expensive routes. Passenger taxes at Anambra airport are N8,000, compared to N2,000 for Enugu and Owerri. Fuel costs also differ, with Lagos and Abuja charging N800–N850 per litre, while other locations can reach N1,200–N1,500 per litre.
These costs influence flight frequency and route decisions. United Nigeria Airlines, for example, operates twice-daily flights to Owerri and Asaba but only once daily to Anambra using a smaller aircraft. Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines are currently the only carriers serving Anambra airport, limiting cost distribution across multiple airlines.
Despite public outrage, Uchegbu insisted that fares have not increased from last year. “The Christmas fares this year are the same as last year, around N300,000. There has been no unusual hike,” he said.
