Agents Criticise Airlines for Disrespecting Naira, Selling Tickets in Dollars
- NANTA president criticised the practice of international airlines selling tickets in US dollars, arguing it eliminates 70% of Nigerian travel brokers and harms competition
- He emphasised that dollar pricing for tickets is unnecessary, highlighting the stabilisation of the naira and the need to accommodate it in transactions
- Folarin also questioned the unfair advantage foreign agencies have over domestic ones and called for cooperation to eliminate visa racketeering, which harms Nigeria’s reputation
Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.
The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agents (NANTA) president, Yinka Folarin, claims that international airlines continue to sell tickets in US dollars.
Source: Getty Images
Folarin spoke on "Cross Border Trading: Crime Against the Nigerian Economy" on Radio Mainland 98.3 FM on Saturday. He claimed that despite the association's "frank" discussions with the government and the airlines to address the problem, it continues to persist.
According to the president of NANTA, the move eliminates 70% of Nigerian travel brokers, jeopardising jobs and competition.
“It is the most disrespectful thing that can happen to any sovereign country with a good market,” Folarin said.
“It is very disrespectful. We always forget something: we only treat the naira as a means of exchange, but the naira is also a store of value, representing the images of our heroes.
“Do you have a 1,000 naira note here? Whose image is on it? Then you come to a market and exclude it from transactions. It’s very disrespectful.”
The president of NANTA stated that dollar pricing for tickets is no longer necessary, emphasising that rates are closing in and the naira is stabilising.
“There’s liquidity, and transparency with CBN oversight,” he said.
“We are at the point where we should be congratulating the CBN and assisting the government.”
“What we are asking for in the trade is that, even if you want to sell in dollars, at least accommodate the naira. The total exclusion of the naira, aside from the fact that it is disrespectful to our sovereign states, excludes 70% of our practitioners — that is our NANTA members.
“It excludes them because their own channel and payment portal do not accommodate dollar payments.
“So the whole thing is anti-competitive against the naira, and, secondly, anti-competitive within the trade. And we don’t want situations where there are job losses and such.”
Folarin questioned the value of such tactics and emphasised the "unfair" advantage that foreign travel agencies had over domestic ones.
The NANTA president also urged everyone to cooperate in order to eradicate visa racketeering, stating that it harms Nigeria’s reputation overall.
Source: Getty Images
Nigerian airline launches low-cost fares
Legit.ng reported that in a bold move to enhance West African air connectivity, ValueJet has introduced a direct flight service linking Lagos, Nigeria, to Banjul, The Gambia — a destination often dubbed West Africa’s “hidden gem.”
This new route, which officially began operations on May 15, 2025, positions ValueJet as the only carrier currently offering nonstop flights between the two cities, streamlining travel for both tourists and business travellers.
It is noteworthy that airfares in Nigeria have surged dramatically in recent months, making domestic and international air travel increasingly unaffordable for many.
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Source: Legit.ng
