Senate Summons Aviation Minister Over Surging Airfare Costs

The Senate has summoned the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and key stakeholders in the sector for an urgent interaction following public outcry over the sudden and steep rise in domestic airfares.

The resolution came after Buhari Abdulfatai raised a motion on the floor of the Senate, warning that the soaring prices pose a serious threat to mobility and could trigger nationwide travel disruption in the coming days.

Leading the debate, Senator Buhari noted that Nigerians have been complaining in recent months as the cost of domestic flights continues to escalate.

He revealed 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 argued that the situation is especially distressing given the increasing difficulty and insecurity on major highways.

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“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 on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday.

Other senators echoed similar concerns.

Senator Adamu Aliero described the fare increase as unacceptable, while Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi condemned what he called an unheard-of 400 percent increment.

Nwebonyi questioned the long-delayed establishment of a national carrier, asserting that Nigeria is overdue for one. He urged Keyamo to rise to the occasion.

Senator Solomon Olamilekan, on his part, said that airline operators have already been granted several concessions, particularly regarding the cost of spare parts and must therefore be held accountable for the price hikes.

However, Senator Orji Kalu attempted to justify the airlines’ fare increases by pointing to rising operational costs and the soaring price of spare parts, an explanation that was met with rousing disapproval from several lawmakers.

The Senate agreed that the Keyamo, airline operators, regulators and other industry stakeholders must appear before its relevant committees this week to clarify the reasons behind the soaring fares and to chart an immediate path toward stabilizing prices ahead of the holiday season.