A Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the powers of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate consumer complaints relating to airline ticket pricing, dismissing a suit filed by Air Peace challenging the commission’s authority.
Gatekeepers News reports that Justice Binta Nyako ruled that the FCCPC acted within the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 when it requested information from the airline over complaints about increased domestic airfares.
The dispute arose after the FCCPC sought details from Air Peace in January 2025 following widespread complaints from passengers over sharp increases in ticket prices.
Air Peace argued that the commission could not investigate airfare pricing unless the President first invoked the price regulation provisions of the FCCPA. However, the court held that investigating consumer complaints is different from regulating or fixing prices.
Justice Nyako ruled that the FCCPC neither directed the airline to reduce its fares nor attempted to prescribe a pricing formula. She added that accepting Air Peace’s argument would weaken the commission’s ability to investigate pricing-related complaints and undermine the consumer protection objectives of the law.
Reacting to the judgment, FCCPC Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tunji Bello, described the ruling as a reaffirmation of the commission’s statutory mandate.
He said the decision reinforces the distinction between investigating consumer complaints and regulating prices, stressing that the FCCPC remains committed to protecting consumers and promoting fair competition in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
