The Nigerian Senate has strongly condemned the recent surge in airfares charged by local airlines, describing the hikes as outrageous and unacceptable.

The Senate has resolved to conduct a comprehensive investigation and summoned key stakeholders for questioning, including the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo; heads of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); and airline operators. The Committee on Aviation, chaired by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (APC, Oyo North), has been tasked with convening the stakeholders as quickly as possible before the Senate breaks for Christmas and year-end recess.

Senator Buhari, who moved the motion, noted that Nigerians have been complaining over the last three months about airline fares. He said some operators had raised the Lagos–Abuja one-way ticket to between ₦500,000 and ₦650,000, compared to normal fares of ₦150,000–₦250,000.

“Informal interactions with airline owners yielded no results, hence the need for Senate intervention to address this exploitation,” he said.

During plenary debates, several lawmakers corroborated these figures, highlighting the financial burden on air travelers. Senate President Godswill Akpabio supported the intervention, stressing that Nigerian travelers were being exploited. He added that the presence of a national carrier like Nigeria Air would have provided more affordable options for the public.

The Senate’s action signals a firm move to regulate airline operators and protect Nigerian passengers from unfair pricing practices.