FG Urged to Reduce Aviation Charges for Affordable Air Travel

The Chief Commercial Officer of United Nigeria Airlines, Adedayo Olawuyi, advised the Federal Government on Wednesday to reduce aviation charges and taxes to lower airfares and enhance affordability for Nigerians. Speaking at the AeroWest conference in Lagos, themed “The Real Cost of Running Aviation Business: Fixing Connectivity, Affordability, FX, Fuel and Border Friction,” Olawuyi noted that high ticket prices have made air travel largely inaccessible to the average passenger.

He identified high financing costs, low passenger demand on certain routes, and the mismatch between naira revenues and foreign currency expenses as significant challenges for domestic airlines. Olawuyi mentioned that Jet A1 prices surged from about N900 per litre in December 2025 to around N3,000 per litre in 2026, contributing to increased operational costs.

He emphasized that the aviation sector's challenges require collaboration among government, regulators, and industry operators. Additionally, he pointed out that West Africa has the highest average tax on air passengers in Africa, which further exacerbates the issue.