By Peter Omopo
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has accused some domestic airlines of arbitrarily increasing ticket prices during the December 2025 festive season despite stable operating costs, raising concerns about possible consumer exploitation and anti-competitive practices in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
In an interim report released on Thursday by its Department of Surveillance and Investigations, the Commission said a preliminary review of pricing data showed that fares during the festive peak were significantly higher than those recorded in January 2026, even though key cost drivers such as aviation fuel, government taxes and foreign exchange remained relatively stable.
The industry-wide probe was launched in January following widespread complaints from passengers over high ticket prices during the holiday period.
In a statement signed by the Commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the agency said its forensic analysis compared domestic airline pricing during the December 2025 rush with post-peak fare levels in January.
According to the statement, the differences observed in ticket prices appeared to reflect discretionary pricing decisions by airlines rather than external cost pressures.
“A review undertaken by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has uncovered patterns of price manipulation perpetrated by some local airlines during the last festive season,” the statement said.
It added that the analysis indicated fares recorded during the December peak were materially higher than those observed in the post-peak period across several routes, despite stability in critical operating variables.
The Commission further revealed that route-level data showed fare increases often coincided with periods of reduced seat availability during predictable seasonal demand peaks, suggesting deliberate supply constraints.
On high-density routes, peak fares were reportedly clustered within narrow price bands across multiple operators, a pattern the Commission said may point to coordinated behaviour.
“For instance, on certain corridors such as Abuja–Port Harcourt, peak fares were several times higher than corresponding post-peak levels. On selected routes, the difference in the price of a single ticket reached approximately N405,000,” the report stated.
It also noted that median fares across sampled routes rose sharply during the festive window compared with January benchmarks.
However, the Commission acknowledged that seasonal demand, fleet utilisation and scheduling constraints could influence pricing during peak periods, stressing that these factors remain under consideration as the review continues.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Tunji Bello, said the assessment was part of the agency’s statutory mandate to promote competition and protect consumers.
“This assessment is intended to provide clarity on pricing behaviour during predictable peak travel periods. The Commission’s role is not to disrupt legitimate commercial activity, but to ensure that market outcomes remain consistent with competition and consumer protection principles under the law,” Bello said.
He emphasised that the report was interim and that more detailed structural and route-level analysis would be conducted before any regulatory action is taken.
“Our next action will be dictated by full facts established at the end of the review exercise. The Commission will decide whether any regulatory guidance, engagement or enforcement steps are necessary, strictly in accordance with the law,” he added.
The report identified potential violations of provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, including sections relating to anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominance, price-fixing, conspiracy and unfair contract terms.
According to the Commission, relevant sections include those prohibiting agreements in restraint of competition, abuse of a dominant position, conspiracy to commit offences under the Act, and unfair or unjust dealings with consumers.
Bello also disclosed that the probe would be extended to international airlines operating in Nigeria amid complaints that Nigerians pay higher fares on certain routes compared to travellers in neighbouring countries.
“Following the ongoing review of domestic airlines, the Commission will also examine the pricing behaviour of foreign carriers operating in Nigeria. There have been persistent concerns that Nigerians pay higher fares on certain routes compared to countries of similar distance,” he said.
Airfare pricing has remained a contentious issue in Nigeria, particularly during festive periods when demand surges. While industry operators often cite limited fleet capacity, high aviation fuel costs and operational challenges as reasons for fare increases, consumer groups have accused airlines of exploiting predictable seasonal demand by restricting seat supply and inflating prices.
The outcome of the Commission’s investigation could have significant implications for pricing transparency and competition within Nigeria’s aviation sector as regulatory scrutiny intensifies.
