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Capacity Gap Reason For High Airfares In Nigeria –DG NCAA

LAGOS – Inadequate aircraft fleet among Nigerian airline operators is one of the major reasons airfares have continued to skyrocket in the domestic scene.

Capt. Chris Najomo, the Acting Director-General Civil Aviation (ADGCA), stated this over the weekend in Abuja during the courtesy call of the executive members of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) office.

Najomo, observed that the growing traffic of passengers desiring domestic air services operations in Nigeria had exposed worrisome gaps to meet these obligations.


Najomo explained that there was an urgent need to bridge these gaps, bring down the fares and encourage best global services operations by encouraging more investors and investments in the domestic airline market.

Najomo lauded NANTA for supporting the Federal Government through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development in its efforts to change the narratives of aviation business in Nigeria.

He said: “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.

“Our minister has taken note of your concerns for the sector and has reached out to Boeing, Embraer and Airbus to support investors in the domestic air business to close the gaps on capacity to meet with surging local passengers’ traffic and to also enable more Nigerian flag carriers on international routes.”

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On the enforcement of noticeable infractions in the sector, the NCAA boss reiterated the determination of the aviation regulatory body to do the needful where necessary, adding that offenders would be tracked and punished according to extant regulations and in partnership with sister regulatory agencies like the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).


He emphasised that at the request of Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, the immediate past President of NANTA, he consented to a sector monitoring committee made up of representatives of NCAA, FCCPC, and NANTA.

Earlier in his address, Mr. Yinka Folami, the President of NANTA, noted that NCAA had lived up to its operational responsibilities and had the approval, confidence, and support of NANTA.

“We upvote your capacity and technical experience to bring sanity to the sector. In strengthening our association, we look forward to an equitable and fair play ecosystem. We also want to work closer with you and other government regulatory bodies to help address the challenges in the sector and align it to global best practices.

“Indeed, we have confidence in the 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,” he said. 

Apart from Folami and Akporiaye, other NANTA executives on the entourage were Mrs. Chinyere Umeasiegbu; First National Deputy President, Mr. Yinka ladipo; Financial Secretary and Alhaji Abdulrazak Ibrahim; National Treasurer.

Others were Johnson Ugochukwu; National Internal Auditor, Mrs. Uloma Ibiwari Kemabonta, Vice President, Abuja, Mr. Ehiogie Hope Osas; Vice President, Eastern Zone, Alhaji Nasir Mohammed Chamo; Vice President, North and Diagi Stanley, Chief Administrator of NANTA. 

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