The Nigerian Senate has summoned Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo and key industry stakeholders for an urgent meeting over the sharp increase in domestic airfares. The move follows a motion by Senator Buhari Abdulfatai, who warned that the soaring ticket prices could disrupt travel ahead of the festive season.
Investigations revealed that one-way fares on several domestic routes, particularly to the South-South and South-East regions, have surged by about 150 per cent, rising from around N120,000 to over N300,000. Some tickets from Abuja to Lagos are now reportedly priced between N400,000 and N600,000.
Senator Buhari highlighted public complaints about the fare hikes, citing growing insecurity and challenges on major highways as additional concerns. Other senators, including Adamu Aliero and Onyekachi Nwebonyi, condemned the increases, while Senator Solomon Olamilekan noted that airline operators had already benefited from multiple concessions, especially on spare parts, and should be accountable.
Although Senator Orji Kalu attempted to justify the rise due to operational costs, the majority of lawmakers rejected this defence. The Senate directed Minister Keyamo, airline operators, regulators, and other stakeholders to appear before relevant committees this week to explain the surge and propose measures to stabilise fares ahead of the holiday travel period.
