The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has uncovered evidence of possible price manipulation by some domestic airlines during the 2025 Christmas travel season, raising concerns over consumer exploitation during peak demand periods.
An interim report released Thursday by the Surveillance and Investigations Department of the FCCPC, details patterns of significantly elevated fares during December 2025 when compared with post-peak January 2026 pricing.
In a statement by the Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, the Commission had earlier announced an industry-wide probe in January, following widespread public complaints over soaring ticket prices during the festive season.
It stated that according to the interim findings, fares during the December peak were materially higher across several domestic routes, despite relative stability in key cost drivers such as aviation fuel prices, government taxes and foreign exchange rates.
The report states that “the differences observed in fares therefore appear to reflect airlines’ arbitrary pricing decisions, including yield management and capacity allocation, rather than any variation in regulatory fees.”
Route-level analysis showed that higher fares corresponded with reduced seat availability during predictable seasonal demand spikes.
On some high-density routes, peak fares were closely clustered within narrow price bands across multiple operators.
For example, on routes such as Abuja–Port Harcourt, peak fares were several times higher than post-peak levels. In some cases, the difference in the price of a single ticket reached approximately ₦405,000.
Median fares across sampled routes also rose sharply during the festive window when compared to January benchmarks.
However, the Commission acknowledged that seasonal demand pressures, operational scheduling constraints and fleet utilisation dynamics could also influence pricing during peak travel periods.
Commenting on the interim findings, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, emphasised that the review aligns with the agency’s statutory mandate to promote competitive markets and protect consumers.
“This assessment is intended to provide clarity on pricing behaviour during predictable peak travel periods. The Commission’s role is not to disrupt legitimate commercial activity, but to ensure that market outcomes remain consistent with competition and consumer protection principles under the law,” Mr. Bello said.
He stressed that no final conclusions have yet been reached.
“It is important to emphasise that this is an interim report. Our next action will be dictated by full facts established at the end of the review exercise. Then, the Commission will decide whether any regulatory guidance, engagement or enforcement steps are necessary, strictly in accordance with the law,” he said.
The report also references potential implications under Sections 59, 72, 107, 108, 124 and 127 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which address issues ranging from anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominance to price-fixing and unfair contract terms.
In a significant development, Mr. Bello disclosed that foreign airlines will also come under the Commission’s scrutiny after the local airline review concludes, citing widespread complaints that international carriers allegedly charge Nigerians higher fares on certain routes compared to neighbouring countries of similar distance.
The FCCPC says the investigation remains ongoing, with further structural and route-level analyses expected before any regulatory or enforcement action is determined.