The Nigerian Senate has summoned the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, alongside leading aviation stakeholders, for an emergency meeting following mounting outrage over what lawmakers described as an “unacceptable and exploitative” surge in domestic airfares.
At plenary on Wednesday, senators decried the “unjustifiable” increase in ticket prices on major routes, including:
- Abuja–Lagos: ₦400,000 – ₦650,000
- Abuja–Enugu: about ₦500,000
- Abuja–Ilorin: around ₦450,000
Lawmakers warned that the steep fares have forced many Nigerians to shelve travel plans during the Christmas season.
Moving the motion, Senate Aviation Committee Chairman Abdulfatai Buhari said preliminary findings showed widespread hardship caused by the fare hikes.
“Mr. President, from Abuja to Lagos is now between 400,000 and 650,000 naira. Abuja to Enugu is about 500,000. Even Abuja to Ilorin is around 450,000,” he noted.
Senators across party lines condemned the increases. Peter Nwebonyi reported that a flight to Enugu that previously cost ₦150,000 now sells for ₦500,000, while another passenger recently paid ₦560,000 for Lagos–Abuja.
Solomon Adeola, Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, reminded the chamber that airlines had benefited from government concessions, especially on spare parts, and should be held accountable.
Orji Uzor Kalu attempted to justify the rates, citing inflation, forex challenges, and high operational costs. His defence was rejected by colleagues who insisted the hikes amounted to exploitation.
Senate President’s Position
Senate President Godswill Akpabio sided with the majority, describing the situation as untenable:
“Minimum wage is ₦70,000. A civil servant would need to save six months’ salary to afford a one-way ticket. This is glaring exploitation.”
He stressed that neither airport levies nor aviation service charges had increased in any way that could justify a 200–300 percent jump in fares.
After extensive debate, the Senate resolved to summon:
- Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo
- Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)
- Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)
- All airline operators
They are to attend a crisis meeting within the week. The Senate also directed its aviation committees to submit urgent recommendations to prevent exploitation of travellers and ensure compliance with industry regulations.
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