Federal Government of Nigeria on Wednesday said the refusal of airline operators to sell flight tickets in its local Naira currency violates its laws.
The Aviation minister Hadi Sirika stressed that airlines found culpable in such acts will be sanctioned for selling tickets in foreign currency
He noted that the refusal of selling tickets in Naira, and blocking access to cheaper seats, are violations of our local laws, adding that the violators will be sanctioned.
The minister’s statements come two weeks after airline operators announced that they were suspending flight operations to and from Nigeria.
Recall that Emirates Airline in mid-August said it suspended flights in Nigeria over failure to recover debts it said was rising more than $10 million monthly.
A week after, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said it released $265 million to airlines operating in the country to settle outstanding-trapped funds from ticket sales.
COV/VO/ THE GUARDIAN
