The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is assessing potential sanctions against five domestic airlines due to claims of price-fixing during the 2025 Christmas travel season.
This initiative was sparked by numerous complaints from passengers who were charged excessively high fares for local flights during the holidays.
Tunji Bello, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, shared this information while addressing journalists at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
Bello mentioned that initial investigations have been completed, and the commission may pursue various enforcement measures, including the possibility of refunding affected travelers.
He highlighted that ticket prices that typically hovered between ₦145,000 and ₦150,000 surged to a range of ₦400,000 to ₦670,000 during the festive season.
"We looked into complaints regarding drastic increases in airline ticket prices during Christmas. Prices that were usually around ₦45,000 to ₦50,000 suddenly leapfrogged to between ₦400,000 and ₦670,000," Bello stated.
"Our investigation confirmed signs of a price-fixing scheme."
The preliminary findings from the commission's report indicate that certain airlines might have participated in coordinated pricing practices, violating the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).
Bello noted that the commission is also examining the option of mandating airlines to reimburse travelers who may have been charged excessive fares during the examination period.
"We are looking into the possibility of requiring them to refund the additional costs to passengers affected by these practices. We will outline the appropriate actions once we release the final report," he explained.
In a prepared statement, Bello elaborated that the commission had launched a review of pricing strategies in the domestic aviation sector after receiving substantial consumer complaints about fare surges during peak travel seasons.
"An interim report released two weeks ago showed that fares during the December 2025 festive season were considerably higher compared to those noted in the post-peak January 2026 period, despite relative stability in fuel costs, regulatory fees, and foreign exchange situations," he remarked.
Bello pointed out that differentials in peak and off-peak fares on certain routes fluctuated between ₦405,000 and ₦650,000 per ticket.
The interim findings also identified similar fare patterns across multiple airlines on heavily trafficked routes during periods of limited seat availability.
He emphasized that while factors like seasonal demand and operational considerations can affect airline pricing during busy periods, the commission is scrutinizing whether these pricing strategies contravene the FCCPA provisions concerning anti-competitive agreements, price fixing, and unreasonable pricing practices.
He indicated that further assessments are in progress, and the commission will determine the suitable regulatory or enforcement actions once its review concludes.
"Consumer rights must be respected, as mandated by the FCCPA provisions," Bello stated.
He also mentioned that the commission is reviewing the pricing practices of foreign airlines servicing routes to Nigeria to ensure that travelers are not subjected to unfair pricing.
Bello noted that the FCCPC’s methodology aims to avert violations by partnering with other regulatory agencies.
"To ensure extensive impact, the FCCPC collaborates with other sector regulators through formal agreements with agencies such as NAFDAC, SON, NCC, and NERC to enforce consumer protection and competition regulations when needed," he added.
Additionally, Louis Odion, the Commission’s Executive Commissioner for Operations, remarked that while the agency does not regulate prices, it ensures that consumers are shielded from exploitative practices.
"We are not a price-controlling agency; our goal is to safeguard consumers from being exploited through product or service pricing," Odion said.
He concluded by stating that the commission continues to monitor consumer protection matters across various sectors of the economy.
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