The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has strongly criticised the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over its interim report alleging price-fixing and fare manipulation by domestic carriers during the 2025 festive travel period.
In its report released on Thursday, the FCCPC said its investigation uncovered evidence suggesting that some local airlines raised fares significantly during the December 2025 yuletide season — in some cases far beyond what could be explained by normal cost increases such as fuel prices, government taxes or foreign exchange rates.
The commission’s Department of Surveillance and Investigations reviewed ticket price data from airlines operating domestic routes and found that peak-season fares were “materially higher” than comparable post-holiday pricing across several routes. It noted patterns it described as arbitrary pricing decisions — including yield management and limited seat availability — that appeared unrelated to legitimate operating costs.
However, AON dismissed the FCCPC’s findings, calling the regulator’s intervention detrimental to the survival of domestic carriers and asserting that the commission lacked the specialised knowledge required to analyse aviation pricing.
AON spokesperson Prof. Obiora Okonkwo said, “What the FCCPC is doing is very detrimental to the survival of domestic operators. They don’t know the economics of airlines and do not possess the professional expertise to dabble into how prices are fixed.” He added that the commission was playing “to the gallery” rather than engaging with the realities of airline operations.
The dispute highlights growing tensions between industry stakeholders and consumer protection authorities over how to balance commercial viability with competition and fair pricing in Nigeria’s aviation sector. While the FCCPC says its mandate is to ensure competitive market outcomes and protect consumers from exploitative pricing, airlines argue that airfare structures are complex and driven by multifaceted operational factors that regulators may misinterpret.
The FCCPC report remains interim, and the commission has indicated that further structural analysis is underway.
It has also signalled plans to extend its review to foreign carriers following complaints that some international flights charge higher fares to Nigerian passengers compared with similar routes in neighbouring countries.
