FCCPC: AIRLINES MAY REFUND PASSENGERS OVER CHRISTMAS FARE HIKE
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Thursday in Abuja announced that it will require airlines that raised ticket prices during the December 2025 Christmas period to refund passengers for any excess charges.
The FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Tunji Bello, made the disclosure while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Bello stated that the commission had completed investigations into price-fixing allegations involving five to six airlines and would soon release a final report outlining penalties.
He noted that airline tickets, which normally cost between ₦145,000 and ₦150,000, had soared to between ₦400,000 and ₦670,000 during the festive season, sparking widespread complaints from travellers.
“We launched an investigation following complaints of price-fixing during the Christmas period. Ticket prices, which normally ranged from ₦145,000 to ₦150,000, suddenly jumped to between ₦400,000 and ₦670,000 during the festive season,” the FCCPC EVC stated.
He added, “Our investigation revealed that this was essentially a price-fixing scheme.”
Bello disclosed that the commission’s preliminary report had already found the airlines guilty of exploiting passengers, and a final report detailing specific penalties would be issued soon.
“The preliminary report has already found the airlines culpable, and the final report will be issued very soon,” Bello said.
He added, “We are also considering ordering the airlines to refund passengers for the excess charges they imposed. By the time the final report is released, these measures will be clear.”
When asked to name the airlines involved, he declined but confirmed that about five to six carriers were under investigation. “I know it’s around five or six, but I don’t want to mention names,” he stated.
The FCCPC’s action comes after complaints from Nigerians who travelled during the Christmas and New Year period, paying exorbitant fares for domestic flights due to high demand and limited seat availability.
Many travellers took to social media to protest the sudden surge in ticket prices, describing it as exploitative and insensitive, especially given the economic hardships faced by Nigerians.
Bello said the FCCPC’s preliminary investigation indicates that airlines may have engaged in collective price-fixing, a practice prohibited under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act.
He explained that price-fixing occurs when competing businesses agree to set prices rather than letting market forces dictate them, and is considered anti-competitive behaviour punishable under Nigerian law.
The FCCPC’s previous enforcement actions have typically involved fines and penalties payable to the government.
During the briefing, the commission also addressed concerns over electricity tariff bands, defending the Band A classification while acknowledging that consumers do not always receive the promised 20 hours of daily power supply.
The FCCPC’s Executive Commissioner of Operations, Mr. Louis Odion, clarified that the commission does not control prices but works to ensure that consumers are not exploited through product or service pricing.
He stated, “We are not a price control agency, but what we aim to do is protect consumers from exploitation, whether in the pricing of products or services. In the electricity sector, that is where most of the challenges consumers face in this country arise.”
He explained that Band A consumers, who pay higher electricity tariffs, are entitled to at least 20 hours of supply daily, while Band B consumers should receive 16 hours.
The official urged consumers to submit formal complaints when they do not receive the promised supply, emphasizing that the commission operates on an evidence-based system.
“A lot of times, if you go ask them, they will say this estate is on Band A, but we haven’t received any formal complaint from the estate about the actual number of hours of electricity they are receiving. Our operations are evidence-based. Without documented evidence, we cannot act,” he said.
On its prosecution powers, the FCCPC’s Head of Legal Services, Chizenum Nsitem, revealed that the commission has prosecuted over 25 cases since the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) came into effect in 2019.
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“At the last count, we have over 25 cases successfully prosecuted for violations of the FCCPA. The threat of prosecution has encouraged compliance with the Act,” Nsitem said.
He also disclosed that the commission currently has more than 30 cases pending at the Federal High Court and the FCCPC Tribunal, including five cases at the Court of Appeal, where companies have appealed tribunal decisions.
The commission’s legal chief highlighted Section 20(2) of the FCCPA, which empowers its legal officers to prosecute cases on behalf of the FCCPC, and Section 113, which allows referral of matters to the Attorney-General of the Federation.
He noted that the FCCPC was established to protect and promote consumer interests, ensure consumers’ rights are respected, and provide access to information to help Nigerians make informed choices.
The country’s aviation sector has faced criticism over fluctuating ticket prices, with airlines attributing the high fares to rising aviation fuel costs, foreign exchange pressures, and operational expenses.
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