Chinedu Eze
Travellers, operators and travel agencies have confirmed that there is a significant reduction in domestic air travel fares attributing the development to increase in the number of aircraft in service and more airlines joining the market.
Travel logistics managers for corporate organiations, airline operators and travel agencies acknowledged the reduction of fares, which demonstrates an end to sporadic increase in ticket prices at this time of the year compared to previous years.
In October last year, cost of ticket was about N180, 000 to N200, 000. There has been a dramatic change as fares now ranges between N140, 000 and N150, 000. Players like Arik Air charges between N160, 000 and N150, 000 to most of the destinations while United Nigeria Airlines average fares to Abuja, Asaba and Lagos are between N140,000 and N160,000.
New entrant, Enugu Air, Rano Air, Aero Contractors and Max Air charge fares range between N100, 000 and N120, 000, depending on when the tickets were purchased.
But there is general agreement that as the Christmas high season approaches, fares will progressively go up.
In late August, 2025, travellers lamented sudden increase in the cost of flight tickets for the Christmas season, as the fares went up due to early demand of tickets for the Yuletide season. The cost of flight tickets rose astronomically, especially to eastern destinations, as one-way ticket cost about N350, 000 and return ticket, about N700, 000.
Nigerians, especially those in the diaspora, who wished to buy tickets to travel home during the Christmas holidays were shocked at the high prices.
They accused Nigerian airlines, especially United Nigeria Airlines and Air Peace of hiking ticket prices to eastern destinations such as Port Harcourt, Calabar, Enugu, Owerri, Asaba, Warri, Benin, Umueri (Anambra).
But between August and October this year, more aircraft have been received by airlines, which has reduced the cost of ticket by about 35 per cent.
“Before now, in August, price of ticket was high, then airlines started bringing more aircraft and overcame the limited supply and the fares started coming down. I cannot say that this will continue till December because for now, the prices are down and even if it will increase, it will be close to the Christmas season and not as high as it would have been, as witnessed last year. A number of aircraft has come in. United Nigeria has brought in those their leased aircraft, which they usually bring towards Christmas, Air Peace has been adding more aircraft to its fleet.
“But there are still some routes dominated by certain airlines like Warri, Yenagoa and Gombe, those routes still attract high fares. Then you know that no matter what, Igbos must travel to the East, so those Eastern destinations must attract high fares. The airlines have already earmarked high ticket cost for those destinations in the East and some parts of South South,” the logistics manager said.
In his analysis of the domestic market, the Managing Director and CEO of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, confirmed to THISDAY that fares have gone down a bit because the availability of aircraft is meeting the demand of aircraft seats; so, there is equilibrium in demand and supply.
He said that some factors have made this possible. “There is stability in the exchange rate over time since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, and the stability is a reflection of the economy. There is also stability in aviation fuel supply and Dangote Refinery made this possible and credit should go to him.”
Captain Sanusi also acknowledged the appreciable increase in aircraft fleet in Nigeria, as Cross River, Enugu Air and airlines like Air Peace brought in aircraft, which means that the aircraft taken out for maintenance is being replaced by the new arrivals, making sure that no vacuum was created in the market.
“Fares are down because additional aircraft have joined the market, meeting the demand of travellers. This has reached an equilibrium between demand and supply. There is stability in the exchange rate, which is a reflection of the economy, which is also a sign of economic improvement. There is also availability of aviation fuel with stable price of the product. This is made possible by the adequate and consistent supply by Dangote refinery, so kudos should be given to him,” Sanusi said.
Speaking in the same vein, the spokesman of United Nigeria Airlines, Chibuike Eloka, told THISDAY that there have been a lot of improvement in the aviation industry due to the way President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, are managing the industry.
He said that under the administration, Keyamo encouraged lessors to provide more aircraft to Nigerian airlines by implementing reforms to improve their confidence in the Nigerian market, particularly by enacting the IDERA agreement to streamline the repossession of leased aircraft. He also engaged directly with lessors and manufacturers like Boeing, provided the government with guarantees for aircraft leases, and worked to address challenges related to local insurance and foreign currency.