The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced a significant breakthrough for Nigerian air travellers, as they will now benefit from reduced prices on international flights.
This development comes as a result of successful negotiations conducted by the NCAA with international airlines operating within Nigeria.
The announcement was made by Michael Achimugu, the Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection at NCAA, through a post on his official X account on Thursday.
Achimugu elaborated that after a year marked by elevated international airfare costs burdening Nigerian travellers, international airlines have collectively agreed to reduce their ticket prices. However, he noted an exception with one carrier that has yet to align with this agreement to lower fares.
This change is attributed to the strategic meetings led by Capt. Chris Najomo, the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on February 12th and 13th, which were specifically aimed at negotiating more affordable airfare rates from foreign airlines for Nigerians.
- “I am proud to announce that, after the meetings with international airlines on the 12th and 13th of February, all of the airlines – bar one, have reopened their low-inventory tickets for Nigerians to access lower ticket prices for international flights.
- “Recall that most of these airlines had closed the low tickets to Nigerians for about a year, subjecting our citizens to only the highest possible airfares. But the swift intervention of Capt. Chris Najomo, DGCA, has eased the situation. More wins to come,” Achimugu’s post on X read.
This move is expected to ease the financial burden on Nigerian travellers and make international travel more accessible.
Backstory
- Two weeks ago, Nairametrics disclosed that Captain Chris Najomo, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), announced the formation of a high-level committee tasked with scrutinizing the various factors influencing international airfare prices with the aim of reducing them.
- Captain Najomo disclosed that the NCAA had organized meetings with airlines, stakeholders, and other relevant agencies to address the issue of steep international airfares that Nigerian travellers face.
- He expressed confidence that these discussions would lead to a significant reduction in international airfares for flights to and from Nigeria, indicating a proactive approach by the NCAA to make air travel more affordable for Nigerians.