- FCCPC uncovers price manipulation among domestic airlines during December 2025 holiday ticket sales
- Airfares spiked significantly, showing troubling patterns despite unchanged key cost drivers like fuel and taxes
- Foreign airlines face scrutiny as Nigerians report unfair fare disparities on international routes
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has uncovered what it describes as troubling patterns of price manipulation among some domestic airlines, following an extensive review of ticket sales during the December 2025 festive rush.
In an interim report released by its surveillance and investigations department, the commission revealed that airfare hikes recorded during the peak holiday period appeared significantly higher than post-peak fares in January 2026, despite little or no change in key cost drivers such as aviation fuel prices, taxes, and foreign exchange rates.
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The findings, according to FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, were based on data obtained directly from airlines operating across Nigeria’s local routes.
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The forensic review compared ticket prices across multiple corridors, focusing on the contrast between festive and off-peak periods.
Route-level review reveals sharp price gaps
Preliminary analysis showed that on some high-traffic routes, fares during the festive season were clustered within narrow price bands across several operators, raising concerns about possible coordinated pricing behaviour.
For instance, on corridors such as Abuja to Port Harcourt, peak fares were reported to be several times higher than those charged just weeks later. In certain cases, the difference in the price of a single ticket reached as much as N405,000.
Median fares across sampled routes also surged sharply during the holiday window.
While the commission acknowledged that seasonal demand, limited seat availability, fleet utilisation and scheduling constraints can influence pricing, it stressed that these factors alone may not justify the magnitude of increases observed.
The report suggested that some fare differences reflected internal yield management decisions and capacity allocation strategies rather than changes in regulatory charges.
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FCCPC: Consumers must be protected
Speaking on the development, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, clarified that the agency’s mandate is not to stifle legitimate business activity but to ensure that competition principles are upheld and consumers are protected under the law.
He described the current document as an interim assessment designed to bring clarity to pricing behaviour during predictable peak travel periods. Further structural and route-level analysis is ongoing before the commission reaches a final determination.
Bello emphasised that any regulatory guidance, engagement with operators, or enforcement action would be based strictly on facts at the conclusion of the review.
Legal provisions and possible sanctions
The interim report highlighted potential breaches of key provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018. These include sections addressing restraint of competition, abuse of dominant position, price-fixing, conspiracy, unfair contract terms, and consumers’ right to fair dealings.
If violations are confirmed, affected airlines could face stiff penalties under the law.
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Foreign airlines are also under watch
Beyond local carriers, the commission signalled that foreign airlines may soon face similar scrutiny.
This follows persistent complaints from Nigerian travellers who allege they were charged significantly higher fares on certain international routes compared to passengers departing neighbouring countries on flights of comparable distance.
The FCCPC’s ongoing review signals a firm regulatory stance at a time when air travel costs remain a major concern for Nigerians.
For now, the industry awaits the commission’s final verdict and any enforcement steps that may follow.
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FCCPC to probe airline pricing model
Legit.ng earlier reported the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said it is going to investigate the ticket pricing models of domestic airlines following growing public complaints about sharp fare increases on several routes.
The commission had earlier announced, on December 1, 2024, that it would look into allegations of exploitative practices in the aviation sector.
In a statement issued on Friday, Ondaje Ijagwu, FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, said concerns have intensified in recent days, especially on routes in the south-east and south-south, where passengers have reported what they believe to be coordinated fare manipulation.
Source: Legit.ng