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Rising Airfares Linked to Aircraft Capacity Issues, Says ADGCA

The Acting Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Captain Chris Najomo, has raised concerns about the insufficient aircraft capacity to meet the growing demand for domestic air services in Nigeria.

Captain Najomo voiced his concerns during a courtesy visit from the President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mr. Yinka Folami, and his Executive Council in Abuja on Thursday. 

In a statement, he attributed the rising domestic airfares to these capacity gaps and stressed the urgency of bridging them to reduce fares and encourage high-quality service by attracting more investment into the domestic airline market.

According to him, addressing these gaps to manage the increasing domestic air traffic will require the involvement of investors and key operators with the necessary capacity and technical expertise.

Captain Najomo assured that, the Ministry of Aviation is in talks with aircraft manufacturers, Boeing, Embraer, and Airbus to support investors in the domestic airline industry in addressing capacity gaps and facilitating the growth of Nigerian flag carriers on international routes.

Regarding regulatory enforcement, Captain Najomo reaffirmed the NCAA’s commitment to addressing sector infractions. 

He stated that offenders would be tracked and punished according to regulations, in collaboration with agencies such as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). 

“We are happy to have NANTA with us, and honestly, it is not easy to  provide leadership at this critical point in time, but we commend your association for staying strong and supportive to the changes in the sector even before the coming of this administration”.

At the request of NANTA’s Immediate Past President, Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, he agreed to establish a Sector Monitoring Committee comprising representatives from the NCAA, FCCPC, and NANTA.

NANTA President Mr. Yinka Folami commended the NCAA for fulfilling its operational responsibilities, expressing confidence and support for its leadership.

“Indeed, we have confidence in NCAA under your watch, and together, we can put a halt to the many underhand practices such as cross-border trading and other obnoxious trade practices in the sector. We also want to drive the best of the Consumerism Ecosystem, which will help protect the Nigerian travelling public and also help service providers to remain in business”.

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