The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says airlines that sharply increased ticket prices during the December 2025 festive season may be required to refund passengers who were overcharged.
Speaking to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Tunji Bello, said the commission has concluded investigations into allegations of price-fixing involving about five or six airlines.
According to Bello, the probe was launched after numerous complaints from travellers who reported that domestic airfares, which normally ranged between about ₦145,000 and ₦150,000, surged to between ₦400,000 and ₦670,000 during the Christmas period.
He said preliminary findings indicate that the airlines may have engaged in a coordinated price-fixing arrangement. The commission is expected to release a final report soon, which could include penalties and possible refunds to affected passengers.
While declining to name the airlines involved, Bello confirmed that several carriers remain under investigation.
The FCCPC’s action follows widespread public outcry during the Christmas and New Year travel season, when many Nigerians took to social media to protest the steep rise in ticket prices amid the country’s economic hardship.
The commission explained that price-fixing—where competing businesses agree on pricing instead of allowing market forces to determine costs—is considered anti-competitive and punishable under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act.
Meanwhile, FCCPC officials also addressed complaints about electricity tariff bands. The commission’s Executive Commissioner of Operations, Louis Odion, said the agency does not control prices but works to ensure consumers are not exploited.
He noted that customers on Band A tariffs are entitled to at least 20 hours of electricity daily, while Band B consumers should receive 16 hours. Odion urged consumers to formally report cases where these supply thresholds are not met, stressing that the commission acts based on verifiable evidence.
The FCCPC’s Head of Legal Services, Chizenum Nsitem, added that the commission has prosecuted more than 25 cases since the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act came into force in 2019, with over 30 additional cases currently pending in courts and tribunals.
The FCCPC was established to safeguard consumer rights, promote fair competition, and ensure Nigerians are protected from exploitative market practices.
