According to report findings, passengers traveling by air from Lagos to various destinations such as Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Owerri, and Kano are now switching to cars due to the continued hike in ticket prices.
According to pricing calculations for various domestic airlines, the average price of a one-way ticket to a destination has increased by over 150,000 naira in a year.
The average price of a one-way ticket from Lagos to Abuja is 143,000 naira, up from 51,000 naira last year, a rise of 180.4%. The average price of a ticket on the Abuja-Port Harcourt route is 220,434 naira, up 389.85% from 45,000 naira in the same period in 2023.
Similarly, a one-way ticket from Abuja to Enugu that was priced at 90,000 Naira in 2023 will cost over 200,000 Naira if booked at short notice. “I now take night buses to Abuja from Enugu owing to the high cost of airfare. Before now, I rarely traveled by road,” revealed Charles Orizu, a businessman and frequent air traveler.
“Air Peace charges N200,000 on a one-way trip from Enugu to Abuja. This amount is way too high for me,” he further revealed.
Another frequent flyer, Emmanuel Kunaiyi, says current airfares have caused him to reduce travel by air. “Flight tickets are extremely high and I understand that the airlines are battling the high cost of aviation fuel, but it is still ridiculously high for an average Nigerian,” Kunaiyi revealed also.
Sarah Wilson, a student at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, who lives in Lagos, said she no longer travels to school by air due to the rising cost of air tickets.
“I can no longer travel by flight to Owerri with my family because of the cost of tickets, which are unaffordable for me. I would rather travel by road which is less expensive,” said Amaka Anagor, a businessman.
Ujunwa, a teacher and frequent traveler, told reporters that air tickets have become so expensive that it is now a huge hassle.
According to her, the first time she flew four years ago in December 2020, she paid N27,000 for her ticket. Soon after, the price rose to N40,000, then N50,000, then N60,000, and finally N70,000.
She noted that to book a round-trip ticket from Uyo to Abuja, one would have to spend about half a million dollars, questioning why the average Nigerian cannot afford to travel stress-free.
Entrepreneur Joy Odinaka said people travel for various reasons, including business meetings, school, and visiting friends and family. However, rising domestic airfare prices have left most travelers with no choice but to travel by road.
A review also shows that Nigerian airlines are paying a premium for aviation fuel due to delays and other logistical costs. Nigerian airlines continue to struggle to maintain smooth operations due to fuel prices.
The price of aviation fuel, also known as Jet A-1, has risen from about 230-250 naira per litre last year to more than 600 naira at all airports in the country.
The Chief Operating Officer of United Nigerian Airlines, Mr. Osita Okonkwo, in a press conference earlier this year, said the increase in tickets was mainly due to charges paid by airlines to use the country’s airports, including higher airfares; fuel, and other charges paid to airlines.
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the average one-way fare paid by air passengers on selected routes in May 2024 was N89,432.43, up 0.27 percent compared to the previous month of April.
The fare increased 19.32 percent from N74,948.78 in May 2023. The Northwest recorded the highest fare at N92,228.57, followed by the Southwest at N92,083.33. According to the NBS report, N86,071.43 is the minimum fare.
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