Nigeria Senate Summons Aviation Minister Over Airfare Surge

The Nigeria — Senate of Nigeria has summoned Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, along with major aviation stakeholders including the Nigeria — Nigerian Ports Authority and the Saudi Arabia — General Authority of Civil Aviation, to address a drastic surge in domestic airfares. This intervention follows widespread public outcry and a motion sponsored by Senator Buhari Abdulfatai, highlighting that one-way tickets on several domestic routes have skyrocketed by as much as 200-400 percent, with prices now ranging from N300,000 to N650,000. Senators, including Adamu Aliero, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, and Solomon Adeola, condemned the increases as unacceptable exploitation, especially given the national minimum wage of N70,000. While Senator Orji Uzor Kalu attempted to justify the hikes by citing rising operational costs, his arguments were largely rejected. Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasized that the increases were disproportionate and unwarranted. The Nigeria — Senate of Nigeria is demanding explanations and immediate measures to stabilize prices ahead of the Christmas and New Year travel rush, aiming to prevent further economic hardship for Nigerians.