Reps urge FG to cut aviation taxes by 50% as holiday airfares surge

The House of Representatives has expressed worry over the soaring cost of domestic air travel and has urged the federal government to slash aviation taxes by 50 percent to ease travel during the festive season.

During Thursday’s plenary, the lower chamber adopted a motion by Obi Aguocha, a Labour Party lawmaker from Abia, who described current airfares as “exorbitant” and a heavy burden on families hoping to reunite during Christmas.

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Aguocha said Christmas, traditionally a season of joy and reconnection, now “looms under the weight of economic challenges” that have made travel increasingly difficult. He argued that the “unprecedented rise in air travel costs” threatens the traditions that unite Nigerians during the festive period.

While acknowledging the challenges faced by airlines — including high aviation fuel prices and currency volatility — the lawmaker said pricing must reflect broader national implications. He insisted that the pursuit of profit “should not come at the expense of the cultural bonds that define us as Nigerians”.

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Aguocha urged the ministry of aviation and relevant agencies to intervene, saying a temporary reduction in airfares would demonstrate social responsibility and national solidarity. “Such an act would reaffirm to all citizens that the journey home is a fundamental right, accessible to every Nigerian, regardless of financial status,” he said.

He also reminded lawmakers that the federal government intervened last year to stabilise road transport prices and said similar support should be extended to the aviation sector, which plays a critical role in family reunification and national connectivity.