The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have denied reports of increase in landing and parking charges for domestic and international airline operators in the nation’s airports.
Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, Managing Director, FAAN and Capt. Musa Nuhu, Director-General (NCAA), made the clarification in separate remarks on Monday, after leading the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on an inspection of facilities at the new Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal.
Yadudu said the report was false and it was not in the immediate plan of the agency to increase the said charges, adding that the last time the charges were increased was in 2002.
“Domestic landing and parking was last reviewed in 2012, when tickets were being sold for N6000; now tickets are being sold for N100,000.
“Actually, there are more than enough reasons for FAAN to increase, because in 2012 tickets were going for between N6,000 and N7,000, and we have not reviewed them since,” he said, adding that stakeholders would be carried along in the event of any increase.
He said the new MMIA terminal was part of the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition the aviation sector and make passengers enjoy an exciting travelling experience.
On his part, Nuhu also said the NCAA had not increased charges in the last 10 years, even with justification to do so.
“And you can imagine if you were charging N5,000 10 years ago, calculating the inflationary pressure and the devaluation of the naira, we are actually recovering costs, we are providing services to the industry at subsidised rate,” he said.
He, however, said there was the need to consider the review of the existing charges as the agency was in need of resources to continue to provide services.
Nuhu said the NCAA depended on the revenue it was generating, and not the government, to provide services.
