Market News

Domestic airlines are experiencing passenger surge across core northern destinations as travellers rush to connect with families for the Eid-el-Kabir (Sallah) celebrations.

This holiday-induced traffic spike comes at an operational threshold for the aviation sector, following an upward adjustment of base airfares across major local networks.

Destinations with the most passenger influx include Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Sokoto, and Yola.

A visit by BusinessDay at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) revealed heavily congested check-in queues and packed terminal halls filled with holiday travellers.

Aero Contractors reportedly recorded the longest queues, especially for flights to Port Harcourt and northern destinations, while Rano Air operated above 85 percent capacity on routes to Kano and Kaduna.

Air Peace, Ibom Air, and United Nigeria Airlines have reportedly increased one-way economy fares above N200,000 on major domestic routes due to rising aviation fuel prices. Jet A1 fuel prices were said to hover between N1,900 and N2,000 per litre.

Examples cited in the report include:

• Lagos–Owerri fares rising to about N202,000–N208,000
• Lagos–Port Harcourt fares increasing to around N201,900–N208,300
• Lagos–Abuja fares reaching approximately N201,900–N208,145
• Lagos–Kano fares climbing to about N201,918 on some airlines.

Several passengers interviewed said they preferred expensive flights over travelling by road because of insecurity and kidnappings on Nigerian highways.

Aero Contractors CEO Ado Sanusi stated the airline introduced promotional fares during the festive season to help travellers reconnect with families.

Former Nigerian College of Aviation Technology rector Samuel Caulcrick noted that inflation and insecurity are reshaping travel patterns, with many Nigerians abandoning road travel despite soaring airfares.

One passenger, Abdulrasheed Mohammed, said:

“I’ll rather buy the ticket for this amount than go by road…”