The regulatory body in
charge of aviation in Nigeria, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has
cautioned foreign airlines collecting dollars from travellers purchasing
tickets . According to a statement from the agency, “All
Airlines selling flight tickets in dollars should desist forthwith as it is a
flagrant contravention of Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) prerequisite guiding
cost of products or services in Nigeria.”
NCAA quotes the Central
Bank of Nigeria’s circular issued on 17th April, 2015, which directs that
“Pricing of any product shall continue to be in Naira only and it is illegal to
price or denominate the cost of any product or service (visible or invisible)
in any foreign currency.”
NCAA is disturbed by reports that some foreign
airlines are declining to accept Nigeria’s local currency – the Naira as
payment for tickets. “Some foreign airlines have blatantly resorted to selling
tickets only in foreign currency. This act is considered insensitive to
passengers who have elected on their own volition to choose the airlines for
their travel.”
“This is also contrary to
the provisions of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria
and other countries as contained in Article 8 (4).
As a consequence of this
action, the regulatory authority has written warning letters to such erring airlines
to immediately comply with the provisions of BASA and CBN directive. Sales of
tickets and services should henceforth be offered to air travellers in Naira
without further delay.”
The NCAA confirmed that the,
“Federal Government of Nigeria has taken measures to ameliorate the subsisting
foreign exchange issues.”
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