The Chairman and CEO of United Airlines Limited, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, has said domestic air travel in Nigeria remains one of the cheapest globally, despite public complaints over rising ticket prices.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Okonkwo, who represents Nigerian airline operators, said local carriers operate under severe financial pressure but still keep fares relatively low compared to other countries. He cited high operating costs driven by dollar-denominated expenses, multiple taxes, and loan interest rates of 30–35%, compared with 2–7% abroad.
He explained that airlines use higher fares in some ticket classes to balance cheaper seats, noting that average ticket prices typically fall between ₦120,000 and ₦150,000, not the sensationalised figures circulating online. According to him, some of the widely shared fares were premium or last-minute tickets, not standard economy.
Okonkwo dismissed claims of price gouging, attributing recent fare increases to festive-season demand. He warned that persistent high costs and taxes have contributed to airline failures in recent years and called for reduced levies to sustain the industry.
His comments come amid increased scrutiny by the National Assembly and an ongoing investigation by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, which is probing potential exploitative pricing practices by domestic airlines.
