Chukwu Obinna 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s consumer protection regulator is considering compelling airlines to refund passengers over sharp increases in domestic airfares during the 2025 Christmas travel period.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) says its investigation into the spike in ticket prices has been completed and a final report will soon be released.
Executive Vice Chairman Tunji Bello reveals the development while briefing State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday.
“Our preliminary report already finds the airlines wanting in that regard. The final report will be issued soon,” Bello says.
“So we are considering a situation where they will refund the excess charges to passengers, which we believe they exploited.”
The investigation follows widespread complaints after ticket prices surged from about ₦145,000–₦150,000 to between ₦405,000 and ₦600,000 during the festive travel rush.
Bello indicates that five to six airlines may be implicated in what regulators suspect could involve coordinated price fixing, although he declines to name the carriers pending the final report.
The FCCPC also reveals that it is probing pricing practices across several consumer-sensitive sectors including baby formula, pharmaceuticals and cement.
During enforcement operations, regulators discover cases of deceptive practices such as repackaging lower-grade rice under premium brand labels and charging prices at checkout that differ from those displayed on store shelves.
Bello says the commission helped consumers recover more than ₦10 billion between January and October 2025 through dispute resolution mechanisms.
He urges Nigerians to report unfair pricing or deceptive packaging through the commission’s complaint channels.
About the Author
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Korede Abdullah