- The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said six domestic airlines may face sanctions over alleged airfare hikes during the Christmas season
- The ticket prices reportedly rose from N145,000–N150,000 to between N450,000 and N670,000 during the festive travel period
- The commission says affected passengers may receive refunds once the final report is released.
- FCCPC recovered more than N10 billion for consumers between March and August 2025 after resolving over 9,000 complaints
The Federal Government may impose sanctions on six domestic airlines following allegations that they arbitrarily increased ticket prices during the Christmas travel season, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has revealed.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Tunji Bello, disclosed this during the “Meet the Press” briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the State House in Abuja.
According to Bello, the commission’s investigation uncovered signs that some airlines may have increased fares in a coordinated manner during the festive period.
He said airlines found culpable could be directed to refund passengers who paid inflated fares once the final investigative report is released.
He explained that ticket prices, which previously ranged from N145,000 to N150,000, reportedly surged to between N450,000 and N670,000 within the review period.
“We have completed investigations into complaints that airlines fixed prices during the Christmas period. The final report will detail the penalties, and we are considering requiring refunds to affected passengers,” he said.
Bello also revealed that the commission has successfully recovered more than N10 billion on behalf of consumers after resolving complaints lodged between March and August 2025.
During that period, the commission handled more than 9,000 consumer complaints. He encouraged Nigerians to formally report issues through the commission’s complaint channels rather than airing grievances informally.
“Our work is evidence-based. Consumers must lodge complaints so we can investigate and ensure justice,” Bello said, adding that the FCCPC’s digital platform allows consumers to submit complaints and track their progress.
The FCCPC chief further disclosed that the commission is keeping close watch on commodity prices nationwide, particularly as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to affect global markets.
He said the agency has activated a nationwide monitoring system across key sectors of the economy to track pricing patterns and discourage businesses from exploiting global developments to impose unjustified price increases.
Bello added that the commission is collaborating with agencies such as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to monitor developments in the petroleum sector.
Addressing concerns about the rising cost of cement, Bello confirmed that the Federal Government has constituted an investigative committee to examine the situation following growing public complaints.
Although the commission does not directly regulate prices, he noted that it has the authority under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 to investigate and prosecute anti-competitive practices, including price fixing.
Bello disclosed that the commission has already prosecuted more than 55 cases under the law, while several other cases are currently pending.