By Muhammad Mamman
strongly refuted claims by the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, that domestic airfares are soaring due to an array of aviation taxes imposed on airlines.
In a firm response issued on Tuesday, the regulator dismissed the allegations as inaccurate and misleading, insisting that no such multiple taxes exist within Nigeria’s civil aviation framework.
According to the NCAA, airlines operating in the country are not subjected to the heavy levies purportedly responsible for higher ticket prices. Instead, the Authority attributed the rise in domestic airfares to ordinary market dynamics, particularly fluctuations in demand and supply.
“The NCAA wishes to clarify that airlines do not pay the alleged multiple taxes being circulated in public discourse,” the statement read. “The pricing of air tickets remains a commercial decision driven by market forces, and not by regulatory charges imposed by the Authority.”
The regulator stressed that it remains committed to ensuring transparency within the aviation sector and urged operators to present factual information when engaging the public on industry challenges.
As of the time of filing this report, Air Peace had yet to issue a formal response to the NCAA’s rebuttal.
