NANTA PRESIDENT WELCOMES FCCPC INTENTION TO INVESTIGATE THE AIRFARE SITUATION IN NIGERIA 23-12-23
By Sadiq Aminu The President, National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, has welcomed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (FCCPC) announcement to investigate the concerning airfare situation in Nigeria.
NANTA in a statement says, responding to the plight of Nigerian travelers, had previously engaged in advocacy efforts, urging intervention from various aviation authorities and the National Assembly Committee on Aviation.
Mrs. Akporiaye expressed gratitude for the government’s response, particularly acknowledging the commitment of FCCPC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, who assured that a thorough investigation would precede any intervention to address the current airfare structure.
She hailed this development as a “Christmas and New Year gift” for travel agents affected by airline fare hikes.
Mrs. Akporiaye, pledges NANTA’s collaboration with the regulatory authority by providing relevant information to restore sanity to fare management and alleviate challenges faced by Nigerian customers.
The FCCPC boss, Mr. Babatunde Irukera had in a media event in Abuja, emphasized the complexity of investigating airfare pricing in Nigeria’s free-market economy.
He highlighted the challenge of determining excessive pricing and the need for evidence-based action rather than arbitrary intervention.
Mr. Irukera acknowledged the intricacies of airfare pricing, describing it as a “competition issue” and emphasized the importance of careful consideration in addressing the problem.