As the festive season approaches, Nigerian air travelers and industry stakeholders have expressed outrage over the continued practice of selling flight tickets in U.S. dollars rather than the local currency, naira. The policy, recently reintroduced by at least three international airlines, has triggered widespread protests and condemnation.
Passengers interviewed at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos described the dollar-only ticketing as discriminatory and unaffordable. Many fear that the policy will further inflate airfares, making international travel inaccessible to the average Nigerian.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) has also condemned the move, labeling it a threat to Nigeria’s economic sovereignty. NANTA President Yinka Folami criticized the airlines for refusing to reinstate naira payments despite improvements in foreign exchange liquidity and ongoing dialogue with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“This practice undermines the naira and violates the rights of Nigerian consumers,” Folami stated, urging the Federal Government to intervene and compel airlines to offer ticketing options in local currency.
The controversy stems from earlier foreign exchange challenges that led airlines to temporarily adopt dollar-only sales. However, critics argue that the continued use of foreign currency for domestic transactions is unjustified and destabilizing.
Industry experts warn that if left unchecked, the policy could lead to reduced passenger traffic, loss of revenue for local travel agencies, and broader economic implications for Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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