The Senate has called upon the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, along with essential industry participants, for an urgent discussion following significant public worry regarding the steep increase in domestic flight prices.

The decision came after a motion introduced by Senator Buhari Abdulfatai, who cautioned that the rising fares could jeopardize national mobility and potentially disrupt travel as the festive season approaches. He emphasized complaints from Nigerians regarding the skyrocketing costs of domestic flights, mentioning that a one-way ticket from Abuja to Lagos is now priced between N400,000 and N600,000, a rate that is unaffordable for many citizens. He pointed out that the situation is especially alarming given the increasing insecurity and difficulties on major roadways.

“We must bring in stakeholders from our airline agencies to discuss and examine these matters. Urgent action is necessary before the holiday season.”

Investigations by The PUNCH revealed that one-way airfares on certain domestic routes, especially in the South-South and South-East regions, have increased by nearly 150%, exceeding N300,000.

Prior to the festive season, flight tickets on domestic routes were around N120,000. A review of domestic airfares on airline websites last Tuesday indicated that ticket prices, particularly to the South-South and South-East areas, have risen by about 150% compared to their rates before the holiday period.

Other senators echoed similar worries during the session. Senator Adamu Aliero termed the fare increase as unacceptable, while Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi decried what he referred to as a “400 per cent rise” and criticized delays in launching a national carrier.

He urged Minister Keyamo to take firm action. Senator Solomon Olamilekan remarked that airline operators have already benefited from various concessions, particularly related to spare parts, and should thus be held responsible for the ongoing price escalation.

Conversely, Senator Orji Kalu attempted to rationalize the hikes, pointing to rising operational expenditures and costly spare parts, a justification that faced strong opposition from several lawmakers.

Ultimately, the Senate instructed Minister Keyamo, airline operators, regulators, and other relevant stakeholders to appear before the appropriate committees this week to clarify the reasons behind the fare increases and suggest strategies to stabilize prices in anticipation of the holiday travel season.