Outrage as Airlines Insist on Dollar Payments for Tickets Ahead of Yuletide Season

As the festive season draws near, air passengers across Nigeria have voiced strong discontent over the persistent sale of flight tickets in foreign currencies—particularly the US dollar. Many fear the practice will further inflate airfares, making travel increasingly out of reach for the average Nigerian family.

The controversial policy, recently reintroduced by some international airlines, has sparked widespread criticism within the aviation industry. Stakeholders and travellers alike have condemned the dollar-only ticket sales as a violation of Nigeria’s sovereignty and urged the Federal Government to intervene urgently.

At the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on Monday, several passengers expressed frustration, warning that the policy would worsen the usual festive-season airfare hikes. Their anger has been compounded by a new $11.50 charge recently announced by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which takes effect from December 1, 2025. The levy, introduced under the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) initiative, is intended to improve airport security and streamline passenger processing, but critics argue it will only add to travellers’ financial burdens.

Despite the NCAA’s justification, the most contentious issue remains the insistence by some foreign airlines on accepting only dollars for ticket payments. Many Nigerians view this as exploitative and disrespectful to the nation’s legal tender.

One traveller, Aderele James, who was flying to Morocco, described the policy as an affront to Nigeria’s independence. “This is Nigeria, a sovereign country. Our currency is the naira, and no airline should dictate otherwise,” he said. “We worked hard for our freedom, and we must not allow anyone to undermine it.” Another passenger, Mrs Lawson, vowed to boycott any airline that rejects the naira, calling the move “discriminatory and insensitive.”

In response, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA), Yinka Folami, stated that while airlines are entitled to business decisions, they must respect Nigeria’s laws and economic realities. “Excluding the naira from transactions in Nigeria is unjustifiable,” he said. “It places unnecessary strain on our currency and undermines efforts to stabilise the economy.”

With Christmas travel around the corner, both passengers and industry experts are urging swift government action to protect consumer rights, defend the nation’s monetary sovereignty, and ensure air travel remains accessible to Nigerians in their own currency.