The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has rejected claims that government taxes triggered the rise in domestic airfares during December 2025.
Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection Michael Achimugu issued the clarification on his X handle on December 29, 2025.
He attributed the increases to market forces driven by high festive travel demand on certain high-traffic routes.
Achimugu noted that similar price surges occur annually in transport, accommodation, and food sectors during the yuletide period.
He stated that taxes remained unchanged in December, predicting fares would likely drop after the second week of January.
The NCAA dismissed airline assertions of paying excessive taxes, including claims of 18 different levies.
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Achimugu revealed that all domestic airlines, when invited for discussions, admitted not paying the volumes of taxes publicly cited.
He questioned justifications for tickets reaching N500,000 on short flights without tax or fuel price hikes.
The official highlighted government support under President Bola Tinubu, including access to dry-leased aircraft previously unavailable for decades.
This stance counters industry narratives blaming taxes, emphasising demand-driven pricing and regulatory monitoring in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
