Chukwu Obinna 
Abuja, Nigeria – Nigeria’s competition watchdog launches a sweeping investigation into suspected fare exploitation by domestic airlines amid sharp ticket price increases ahead of the Christmas travel season.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) announced on Friday that it is probing potential coordinated pricing practices on select domestic routes, particularly those serving the South-East and South-South regions.
In a statement from Abuja, Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs, says the inquiry follows mounting public complaints over what passengers describe as exorbitant and arbitrary airfare hikes. “The commission is examining whether operators on the affected routes have violated provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act,” Ijagwu says, warning that enforcement action will follow where breaches are established.
He confirms that Air Peace has initiated legal action seeking to restrain the FCCPC from scrutinising its pricing model but stresses that the investigation will proceed regardless.
Executive Vice Chairman Tunji Bello reiterates that the commission will act decisively to protect consumers. “For the avoidance of doubt, we are not a price control board,” Bello says. “However, the FCCP Act 2018 empowers us to prevent the exploitation of consumers.”
“When we receive petitions or find cogent evidence, we will not stand by and watch Nigerian consumers being exploited under any guise,” he adds.
The FCCPC pledges to keep the public informed as investigations into airline pricing practices continue nationwide.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Koko Maxwella 