News
International travels airfare rise 282% to N2.1m per trip
International travels traffic from Nigeria has been hit with a major blow, as foreign exchange, blocked foreign airlines funds, amongst others have pushed the price of airfare tickets to 282 per cent in one year.
This development has impacted summer travels negatively following the dynamics in the nation’s economy as passengers pay between N2.1 million to N2.3 million for a round trip outside Nigeria on economy ticket.
Nigeria currently has bilateral Air Services Agreements with over 78 countries. From Nigeria, air travellers can fly directly to many of the world’s business centres such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York, Johannesburg, Atlanta, Amsterdam, Dubai and Jeddah to mention a few.
With the attainment of America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category One Certification, Nigerian registered carriers can now fly directly into the United States of America (USA)
However, a survey by Saturday Vanguard showed that an economy class ticket for a round trip from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos to the George Bush International Airport Houston, IAH, which was sold between N500,000 to N550,000 in 2021, is now sold at N2.1 million.
Also, a round trip on an economy class ticket from Nigeria to London Heathrow Airport, which is less than 2, 000 pounds, is now 3,000 pounds and above. A round trip from Lagos to Johannesburg, South Africa, now sells for N500,000.
A breakdown of the charges that make up the total cost of an air ticket using the United States as a case study, includes Airfare, which varies, U.S. transportation tax, $38.20, September 11th security fee, $5.60, international surcharge, $400.00, U.S. APHIS user fee, $3.96, U.S. Customs user fee, $5.99, U.S. Immigration user fee, $7.00, Nigeria airport service charge, $100.00, Nigeria security charge, $20, U.S. passenger facility charge, $4.5.
Meanwhile, a passenger in Lagos who preferred anonymity said that he had just come back from the United Kingdom, and wanted to change his return ticket date and they charged him N546,000.
“Following this development, I contacted my travel agent to get an economic ticket from Lagos to London, to understand the rationality, I was amazed when he told me that it would cost me N1.9 million.
“I exaggeration I screamed, this is out of this world, I asked him why, and he gave me many reasons among which he disclosed that the issue of aviation fuel, along with the fact that airlines cannot repatriate their money back to their country. Right now they are been forced to buy an air ticket in dollars.”
But in a swift reaction, the Principal Managing Partner, Avaero Capital Partners, Sindy Foster said, “At the original time of booking the fares were lower, as they probably did not take into account the five factors above. It’s not the change of date which they have charged N546, 000 for, it’s the difference between fare costs from the time of booking to now, which is why the apparent ‘change’ fare is so now.
Similarly, a former Military Commandant at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Group Capt John Ojikutu lamented that the aviation industry is collapsing because of debts and it is affecting the foreign airline.
He said: Foreign airlines cannot take their money back to their country and if foreign airlines stop operations here there will be a huge catastrophe. We acquire 80 per cent minimum of our earnings from commercial aviation from foreign airlines.
“If they cannot repatriate their money back to their country then there will be a problem. I just got a message from the House of Assembly, asking the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to return their money so they can change themselves through the parallel market. There is more dollar there today than in the CBN. “If they have to change it, then you will have to pay for it and that is why the air ticket has gone up. There is no magic about what is happening.”
Factors responsible for the hike
While highlighting the factors driving the surge in the price of international flights, Foster, noted that, seasonal demand, plus pent-up post covid demand has driven up the price of international tickets. According to her, “During covid many airlines provided vouchers to passengers in respect of flight cancellations, these vouchers had expiry dates in 2022/2023 in many cases. She said: “This summer was the first summer where covid restrictions had been relaxed or removed entirely. So this year, many people planned overseas trips and destination weddings amongst others.
“Also, aviation fuel has increased dramatically over the last few months. To try to claw back some of this increase airlines have added fuel surcharges to the cost of tickets which have pushed up the cost of tickets.
“There are also increased airport charges to claw back some of the losses during the covid lockdowns and the subsequent lack of passenger demand created by varying vaccination and testing requirements between countries, airports increased charges to airlines, some of which will have resulted in higher fares for passengers.
“Nigeria owes Foreign Airlines over $450 million in unremitted revenue. To compensate for this situation the airlines have removed the lower class fares from their tickets. Airlines are forced to source funds on the parallel market, so any fare which would not generate the anticipated ticket price when converted to dollars was apparently removed.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
Hegseth made the disclosure during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, where he said the directive was issued about a year ago after Trump became aware of attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
He explained that the operation involved behind-the-scenes coordination and deployment of military assets, adding that intelligence gathered during the mission contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command, during a joint operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said.
According to him, the operation yielded significant results in the fight against terrorism in the region.
“And we got the assets there, and over the last month, and there hasn’t been much coverage of this, we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who’s most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he stated.
Hegseth added that working on the Intel gathered, they have killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria.
The U.S. defence chief described the operation as part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to counterterrorism efforts and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“So there are a lot of things we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things that the President empowers the Department to do on behalf of the American people that he deserves great credit for,” Hegseth stated.
ISIS second in command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed in a coordinated U.S.-Nigeria military operation in northeast Nigeria earlier this month.
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