“The New Tax Laws Will Push Domestic Airfares To ₦1.7 Million” — Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema

Nigerians may be in for tougher times as Air Peace Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Allen Onyema, has cautioned that the country’s domestic aviation sector could slide into a major crisis if the newly introduced tax laws take effect on January 1, 2025, without a proper review.

Onyema issued the warning during an interview with the newsmen on Sunday.

He blamed excessive taxes, levies and charges on airlines for high airfares.

He noted that domestic airfares could rise further to as much as ₦1.7 million and force local carriers out of business within months, with ripple effects on passengers, banks and the wider economy.

He dismissed claims that airlines are profiteering, explaining that most ticket revenue is lost to statutory deductions.

“People talk as if airlines are making a killing. It’s not true,” he said.

Onyema warned that the burden of the new tax reforms would ultimately fall on passengers, leading to a sharp rise in domestic fares. He added that Nigerian domestic airlines may collapse within three months under the new tax laws.

“With 7.5 per cent on ticket fares, ticket fares will hit ₦1.7 million soon. If we implement that tax reform, Nigerian airlines will go down in three months. At the end of the day, economy class tickets will go for about ₦1.7 million if it happens.”

His comments come amid growing public anger over already high domestic airfares. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee has insisted that the new tax laws will take effect from January 1, 2026, despite calls for their suspension.

Single-route domestic airfares rose to between ₦250,000 and ₦450,000, especially to the South-East and South-South during the Yuletide, prompting outrage even from Nigerian lawmakers.