Passengers flying from Lagos to secondary airports such as Ilorin, Akure, Asaba, Benin, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Ibadan, and Yola are facing fewer airline choices due to ongoing aircraft shortages at Nigerian airports.
The scarcity of planes has led airlines to cut back on flights or halt operations on these less-traveled routes, focusing instead on more profitable primary routes. This shift has resulted in a few airlines monopolizing certain routes, reducing passenger options and leading to job losses previously provided by multiple airlines.
The shortage also impacts ticket prices. Last year, a flight from Lagos to these secondary airports averaged N65,000. Today, a one-way economy class ticket on these routes ranges from N100,000 to N300,000.
Seyi Adewale, CEO of Mainstream Cargo Limited, commented on the issue to BusinessDay, saying, “The limited number of airlines operating on these routes means that fare prices are controlled by the airlines, which undermines fair competition, price discovery, and passenger choice.”