The Nigerian Senate has summoned the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, along with key stakeholders in the sector, for an urgent meeting following widespread public complaints about the sudden and steep rise in domestic airfares.
The resolution followed a motion raised by Senator Buhari Abdulfatai, who warned that the soaring ticket prices pose a serious threat to mobility and could trigger nationwide travel disruptions in the coming days.
Leading the debate, Senator Buhari noted that Nigerians have continued to lament the escalating cost of domestic flights in recent months.
He disclosed that a one-way ticket from Abuja to Lagos now costs between N400,000 and N600,000, an amount many citizens can no longer afford.
The lawmaker from Oyo State stressed that “the situation is even more troubling given the rising insecurity and difficulty associated with major highways.”
“We need to invite stakeholders of our airline agencies to interact and interrogate the issues. Immediate steps must be taken before the festive period,” he said.
Several other Senators supported the motion and expressed similar concerns.
Senator Adamu Aliero described the fare increase as unacceptable, while Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi condemned what he termed an unprecedented 400 per cent increment.
Nwebonyi also questioned the delayed establishment of a national carrier, insisting that Nigeria is long overdue for one. He urged the Minister to address the issue without further delay.
Senator Solomon Olamilekan noted that airline operators have already received several concessions, particularly on the cost of spare parts, and should therefore be held accountable for the sudden price hikes.
However, Senator Orji Kalu attempted to justify the increases by citing rising operational costs and the soaring prices of spare parts, an argument that drew loud disapproval from several lawmakers.
The Senate resolved that Keyamo, airline operators, regulators and other industry stakeholders must appear before its relevant committees this week to explain the reasons behind the surging fares and to map out immediate measures to stabilise prices ahead of the holiday season.