Outrageous Christmas airfare hikes draw FENRAD’s ire; calls for intervention by FAAN, NCAA, National Assembly

Nkem Ukaegbu, Umuahia

Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) has expressed deep concern and unequivocal condemnation over the exploitative, unfair, and inhumane hike in air ticket prices to the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria ahead of the 2025 Christmas season.

According to the Executive Director of FENRAD, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, reports reaching the organization indicate that return tickets to cities such as Enugu, Owerri, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Uyo, and Calabar now cost as high as ₦450,000—an amount that is not only outrageous but also blatantly exclusionary.

This pricing trend, occurring annually around festive seasons, amounts to institutionalized economic discrimination against travelers to the South-East and South-South.

As an organization committed to equity, justice, and the protection of citizens’ socio-economic rights, FENRAD views this predatory pricing as a violation of consumer rights, an enabler of regional marginalization, and a burden on citizens struggling under harsh economic realities.

It is also a threat to free movement as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution. It is unacceptable that airline operators continue to take undue advantage of increased seasonal travel demand to exploit Nigerians, particularly those returning home to celebrate with their families.

The cost of travel—whether by road or air—has risen astronomically, pushing millions of citizens into hardship and preventing many from reconnecting with their roots during this culturally significant period.

FENRAD urgently calls on the following bodies to intervene decisively: the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC); the Aviation Committees of the National Assembly; and the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

The organization demands immediate investigations into: the current airfare regime and pricing model of airlines; possible collusion or price-fixing within the aviation sector; compliance with consumer-protection laws and anti-monopoly regulations; and the establishment of a regulated fare cap during peak travel seasons.

The National Assembly must step in with stronger oversight to ensure fair competition, prevent exploitative practices, and protect the rights of citizens who rely on air travel for safety and convenience—especially given the insecurity challenges that plague road transport routes.

Beyond the numbers, the crisis affects millions of Nigerian families. For many in the South-East and South-South diaspora, Christmas is the only time of the year they reunite with loved ones.

Inflated ticket prices are tearing families apart, undermining cultural traditions, and inflicting emotional and financial stress on already struggling citizens.

It is unconscionable that airline operators prioritize profit over people, exploiting a season meant for peace, unity, and homecoming.

FENRAD insists that no Nigerian should be priced out of their constitutional right to movement and association.

The organization also demands: fair and transparent airfare pricing; government-imposed safeguards against seasonal exploitation; strict consumer-protection enforcement and penalties for defaulters; and greater oversight to ensure equitable access to aviation services.

The aviation industry must not be allowed to operate as a cartel or monopoly that places profit above the welfare of the Nigerian people.

FENRAD stands firmly with the millions of Nigerians affected by this injustice.

The group calls for immediate government action to reverse these inhumane airfare hikes and to establish mechanisms that will prevent such exploitation in the future.

Nigeria cannot afford a system where traveling home becomes a luxury reserved only for the wealthy.