As the yuletide approaches, air passengers in Nigeria have expressed deep dissatisfaction over the continued sale of flight tickets in foreign currencies, particularly the US dollar. Many passengers fear that the policy will further inflate airfares and make travel increasingly unaffordable for the average Nigerian.
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The controversial practice, recently reintroduced by some international airlines, has ignited widespread outrage within the aviation sector. Both industry practitioners and passengers have described the dollar-only ticket sales as an affront to Nigeria’s sovereignty and have called on the Federal Government to take urgent action.
During random interviews at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, on Monday, several travellers lamented that the dollar-only ticket policy would worsen the usual festive-season fare hikes, which already stretch the budgets of most families.
Adding to passengers’ frustration, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority recently announced an additional charge of $11.50 per ticket, effective December 1, 2025. The new payment, introduced under the Advance Passenger Information System initiative, has sparked further anger across the industry.
According to the NCAA, the APIS fee aims to enhance security and streamline passenger clearance at Nigerian airports by collecting and processing traveller data before arrival. However, despite the agency’s justification, the new charge has been met with skepticism. Critics argue that the fee, distinct from an existing $20 security fee introduced in 2010, will only deepen the financial burden on passengers and complicate air travel logistics.
Yet, the most pressing issue for many Nigerians remains the insistence by some foreign airlines on accepting only US dollars for ticket payments — a move perceived as both exploitative and disrespectful to Nigeria’s legal tender.
Speaking with our correspondent, Aderele James, a Morocco-bound passenger, condemned the dollar-only policy, describing it as a deliberate attempt to undermine the country’s economy.
“For me, I was more than surprised when my agent told me that some airlines have insisted on taking dollars only from outbound passengers. This is Nigeria, a sovereign state where no one should tell us how we should set out our laws. Why should we bend our rules for some airlines flying into our country?
“The legal tender in Nigeria is the naira, and so should it be across all transactions. These people won’t allow such in their country. I wonder why our leaders are keeping a criminal silence on this matter.”
James further stated, “I have made it a principle never to fly any airline, insisting that I must pay in dollars. My family and I have made it a principle never to fly any airline that takes other currencies in our country. This is utterly disrespectful and unacceptable.
“We suffered to gain our independence; an attempt for anyone to trample on it should be resisted with all our might. To keep quiet about this is to tell these people to keep oppressing us. The President should please do something about this.”
Another traveller, who simply gave her name as Mrs Lawson, also vowed to boycott any airline that rejects payment in naira, describing the policy as discriminatory and insensitive.
Reacting through a telephone interview, President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents, Yinka Folami, stressed that while foreign airlines reserve the right to make business decisions, such actions must not disregard Nigeria’s sovereignty or its legal framework.
Folami said, “Excluding the naira from transactions in Nigeria is unjustifiable. Such actions put undue pressure on our currency and undermine government efforts to stabilise the economy.”
He warned that the constant demand for dollars in the aviation market could further weaken the naira and urged airlines to show confidence in Nigeria’s improving fiscal outlook.
“Opening ticket sales in naira will empower thousands of young agents, create jobs, and boost the economy,” he added. “We remain optimistic that the government will soon end this practice.”
With the festive travel season approaching, passengers and industry stakeholders alike are calling for swift intervention to protect consumer rights, uphold national dignity, and ensure that air travel remains accessible to Nigerians in their own currency.
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