President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria, Dr Alex Nwuba, has challenged claims that air fares in Nigeria are among the cheapest globally, saying the country ranks as the least affordable market, with the highest real cost burden on travellers.

Nwuba, in a recent study titled ‘Reassessing Nigerian Airfares: A Global Affordability Perspective,’ compared the affordability of domestic air travel in Nigeria with that of 19 other countries.

He stated that the country’s average fare of N131.67, based on National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, monthly data on standard short-haul domestic fares, was higher than that of most countries when adjusted for income and purchasing power parity, PPP.

He noted that countries such as India ($250), Vietnam ($400), Malaysia ($1,200), Thailand ($700), the Philippines ($350), Indonesia ($300), Brazil ($900), Mexico ($700), the United States ($6,900), Canada ($4,200), Australia ($4,800), Japan ($3,200), China ($1,200), the UK ($4,000), Germany ($4,500), the UAE ($3,500), South Africa ($1,100), Kenya ($250), and Ethiopia ($100), all with higher average monthly wages, have cheaper fares than Nigeria ($175).

According to him, while travellers in India pay ($75), Vietnam ($65), Malaysia ($55), Thailand ($65), the Philippines $75, Indonesia ($80), Brazil ($100), Mexico ($90), the United States ($150), Canada ($185), Australia ($170), Japan ($150), China ($105), the United Kingdom ($130), Germany ($130), the United Arab Emirates ($105), South Africa ($120), Kenya ($105) and Ethiopia ($95), Nigerian travellers pay $131.67 as standard short-haul domestic fares.

Sharing further insights into the report, the aviation expert said: “When I completed my initial affordability index comparing domestic air travel across multiple countries, the results were straightforward enough. Nigeria ranked as the least affordable domestic aviation market, with Ethiopia sitting just above it.

“Nigeria and Ethiopia were side by side at the bottom of the affordability ranking. And in that instant, the contrast became impossible to ignore. Here were the two least affordable domestic aviation markets in the dataset. Yet one of them, Ethiopia, is home to the most successful, profitable, and expansive airline in Africa. The other, Nigeria, struggles to sustain stable carriers.

“How can Ethiopia have such poor domestic affordability and still operate Africa’s strongest airline? Nigeria’s population of over 220 million suggests a massive domestic aviation market. Ethiopia, with roughly 120 million people, is almost half that size. If population and internal demand were the primary drivers of airline success, Nigeria should dominate African aviation. But the chart told a different story—one that only becomes clear when the data is viewed visually rather than numerically.

“The key difference lies in the structure of each country’s aviation model. Nigeria’s airlines depend heavily on domestic passengers. With no major international hub, limited long‑haul networks, and minimal transit traffic, the Nigerian aviation industry relies almost entirely on internal travel. When domestic affordability collapses, due to low wages, weak PPP, and high operating costs, the entire system becomes fragile. Domestic affordability is not just an economic indicator in Nigeria; it is the lifeline of the industry.

“Ethiopia, however, operates under a completely different model. Ethiopian Airlines does not rely on domestic passengers for its survival. Domestic travel contributes less than ten percent of its revenue. The airline’s success is built on a global strategy, not a local one.

“Nigeria, meanwhile, remains a non‑starter in this equation. Its domestic market is large but not profitable, weighed down by poor affordability and weak purchasing power. And without a serious international network or a hub strategy, Nigerian airlines are trapped in a domestic environment that cannot sustain long‑term growth. The absence of global connectivity means they cannot offset domestic weaknesses the way Ethiopian Airlines does.” (Vanguard)

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