A £2,000 fare gap between Lagos-London and regional routes is exposing Nigeria’s dependent aviation economy. Analysts warn that high international ticket prices force travellers to rely on foreign carriers, weakening domestic airlines’ competitiveness. Former NCAA Director General, Dr. Harold Demuren, stressed that addressing structural gaps, regulatory reforms, and strategic investment in Nigerian carriers is critical for reversing this trend.
Nigeria’s aviation sector remains heavily reliant on foreign airlines that dominate key international routes. Dr. Demuren, speaking at a SAPTCO Communication event themed: Survival of Nigerian Carriers on the London Route, highlighted long-standing weaknesses in local carriers’ operational and financial capacity. His presentation, International Aeropolitics and the Survival of Nigerian Carriers, underlined how the Lagos-London route exemplifies the country’s dependent aviation economy and the urgent need for strategic policy intervention.
According to Dr. Demuren, foreign carriers dictate capacity, pricing, and route access, repatriating billions of naira annually. Local airlines remain under-financed, fragmented, and constrained by costly leasing arrangements. He noted that Nigerian passengers often pay some of the highest fares in Africa, not due to market realities but because foreign airlines face limited competition.
The Lagos-London sector remains one of the world’s highest-yield international routes, servicing business travellers, families, the diaspora, and thousands of students. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic maintain daily flights, while Nigerian airlines struggle to secure long-haul aircraft and reliable operational financing. Dr. Demuren described this imbalance as a direct outcome of aeropolitical decisions that favour external interests over national ones.
Pricing Power in a Dependent Aviation Economy
He highlighted Nigeria’s Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs) as a major factor in perpetuating the dependent aviation economy. Uneven implementation allows foreign carriers multiple frequencies, while Nigerian airlines cannot reciprocate. Ethiopian Airlines, for instance, once earned up to 50% of its global ticket revenue from Nigerian passengers. Such capital flight demonstrates how Nigeria continues to serve as a feeder market while local carriers lack capacity to compete.
Fare disparities are a visible symptom of this imbalance. Lagos-London return tickets can cost up to $5,000, while comparable Accra–London flights are around $3,500. Dr. Demuren noted that prices only reduced when Air Peace entered the Lagos-London market, showing that even limited domestic competition can moderate excessive fares.
Dr. Demuren stressed that airline routes are strategic assets generating guaranteed revenue. Yet Nigeria underutilises its BASA rights due to limited aircraft and weak long-haul capacity. This further deepens the dependent aviation economy, limiting Nigeria’s influence in international negotiations.
To reverse this trend, he called for deliberate aeropolitical policies, including a “Fly Nigeria Act” mandating government-funded travel on domestic carriers. He urged renegotiation of BASAs to ensure fair reciprocity, as well as government support in access to foreign exchange, aircraft leasing, and operational problem resolution.
He also emphasised the need for stronger airline structures. Nigerian carriers must prioritise operational reliability, corporate governance, staff professionalism, and IATA compliance. Developing loyalty programmes, interlining agreements, and joining global alliances were highlighted as key steps. Expansion into markets such as Brazil, China, and India could diversify revenue and reduce dependence on foreign airlines.
Dr. Demuren concluded that Nigeria must break free from the cycle of a dependent aviation economy. Strategic aeropolitics, investment in high-value routes, and alliance-building are essential to transforming Nigerian carriers into competitive global players. The country can no longer serve merely as a feeder market; it must actively compete and win on the world stage.
