FCCPC to sanction 5 airlines over alleged price fixing

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says it is considering sanctions against five domestic airlines over alleged price-fixing during the 2025 Christmas travel period. The commission said the action followed complaints from travellers who paid significantly higher fares for domestic flights during the Christmas and New Year holidays. The Executive Vice Chairman and […]

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says it is considering sanctions against five domestic airlines over alleged price-fixing during the 2025 Christmas travel period.

The commission said the action followed complaints from travellers who paid significantly higher fares for domestic flights during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.

Bello said preliminary investigations had been concluded and that the commission was considering several enforcement options, including possible refunds to affected passengers.

According to him, ticket prices that usually ranged between ₦145,000 and ₦150,000 rose sharply to between ₦400,000 and ₦670,000 during the festive period.

“We investigated following complaints that airline ticket prices increased sharply during the Christmas period. Prices that were ordinarily around ₦45,000 to ₦50,000 suddenly rose to between ₦400,000 and ₦670,000,” Bello said.

“So we followed up through our investigation and were able to conclude that there were indications of a price-fixing mechanism.”

He added that the commission’s preliminary report suggested that some airlines may have engaged in coordinated pricing practices, which are prohibited under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA).

Bello said the commission is also reviewing the possibility of requiring airlines to refund passengers who may have paid excessive fares during the period under investigation.

“We are also considering a situation where we may ask them to refund the excess fares to passengers who may have been affected. By the time we release the final report, the appropriate actions will be clear,” he said.

In a prepared statement, Bello explained that the commission initiated a review of pricing practices in the domestic aviation sector following widespread consumer complaints about fare increases during peak travel periods.

“An interim report released two weeks ago by the commission indicates that fares during the December 2025 festive travel period were significantly higher than those observed in the post-peak January 2026 period, despite relative stability in fuel prices, regulatory charges and foreign exchange conditions,” he said.

He added that on some routes, the difference between peak and off-peak fares ranged between ₦405,000 and ₦650,000 per ticket.

The interim findings also observed similar fare patterns across several airlines on busy routes during periods of reduced seat availability.

Bello noted that although seasonal demand and operational factors can influence airline pricing during peak periods, the commission is examining whether the pricing practices breached provisions of the FCCPA relating to anti-competitive agreements, price fixing, and unfair pricing practices.

He said further analysis was ongoing and that the commission would determine the appropriate regulatory or enforcement actions once its review is completed.

“Consumer rights must be respected as guaranteed under the provisions of the FCCPA,” Bello said.

He added that the commission is also reviewing the pricing practices of foreign airlines operating routes into Nigeria to ensure that passengers are not subjected to unfair pricing.

Bello explained that the FCCPC’s approach focuses on preventing violations through collaboration with other regulatory bodies.

“To ensure broad impact, the FCCPC collaborates with sector regulators through formal agreements with agencies such as NAFDAC, SON, NCC and NERC to enforce consumer protection and competition laws where necessary,” he said.

Also speaking, the Commission’s Executive Commissioner for Operations, Louis Odion, said the agency does not regulate prices but ensures that consumers are protected from exploitative practices.

“We are not a price control agency, but what we try to do is to ensure that consumers are not exploited through the pricing of products or services,” Odion said.

He added that the commission continues to monitor consumer protection issues across multiple sectors of the economy.