The Senate has summoned the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, and key stakeholders in the sector for an urgent interaction following public outcry over the sudden rise in domestic airfares.
The resolution came during plenary today December 9 after Buhari Abdulfatai raised a motion on the floor of the Senate, warning that the soaring prices pose a serious threat to mobility and could trigger nationwide travel disruption in the coming days.
Leading the debate, Senator Buhari from Oyo state noted that Nigerians have continuously decried the rise in cost of domestic flights.
He revealed that a one-way ticket from Abuja to Lagos now costs between N400,000 and N600,000, an amount many citizens can no longer afford.
The lawmaker argued that the situation is especially distressing given the increasing difficulty and insecurity on major highways.
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“We need to invite stakeholders of our airline agencies to interact and interrogate the issues. Immediate steps must be taken before the festive period,” he said
Other senators echoed similar concerns.
Senator Orji Kalu however attempted to justify the airlines’ fare increases by pointing to rising operational costs and the soaring price of spare parts, an explanation that was met with rousing disapproval from several lawmakers.
The lawmakers unanimously agreed to summon the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, airline operators, regulators and other industry stakeholders to give reasons for the increase in fares and how it can be reduced.
