Air Travellers Slam Dollar-Only Ticket Policy

Air Travellers Slam Dollar-Only Ticket Policy, Reject New NCAA $11.50 Charge.
NCAA introduces $11.50 fee for passenger data system.
Travellers, agents urge government action to protect naira.

As the festive season draws near, Nigerian air passengers have voiced strong disapproval over the continued sale of flight tickets in foreign currencies, especially the US dollar. The practice, recently reintroduced by some international airlines, has sparked widespread frustration, with many travellers warning it could make air travel unaffordable for the average Nigerian.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the dollar-only ticket sales have been described by aviation experts and passengers as an “insult to Nigeria’s sovereignty,” prompting calls for urgent government intervention.

During interviews at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Monday, several passengers lamented that the policy would worsen the annual surge in flight fares during the Christmas period.

Adding to their frustration, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) recently announced an additional $11.50 charge per ticket under its new Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), effective December 1, 2025. The agency said the fee would enhance security and streamline passenger processing by collecting and verifying traveller information ahead of flights.

However, the development has been met with skepticism. Critics argue that the new charge, separate from the existing $20 security fee introduced in 2010, will only increase travel costs and compound the hardship of passengers already burdened by foreign currency ticket payments.

Some travellers, including Morocco-bound passenger Aderele James, condemned the dollar-only policy as “disrespectful” and “exploitative.”
“This is Nigeria, a sovereign nation with its own currency. Why should we bend our rules to please foreign airlines?” James said.

Mrs. Lawson, another traveller, described the policy as “discriminatory” and vowed to boycott airlines that refuse naira payments.

Reacting, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents, Yinka Folami, said excluding the naira from local transactions “undermines Nigeria’s economy and puts unnecessary pressure on the currency.”

He urged the government to step in and ensure airlines respect Nigeria’s financial laws, warning that continued dollar-only sales could further destabilize the naira.

Air Travellers Slam Dollar-Only Ticket Policy

With the yuletide travel rush approaching, passengers and travel agents are calling for swift government intervention to restore confidence and protect consumer rights.