The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has threatened to
sanction airlines that are in the habit of selling air tickets in
foreign currency, particularly the dollar.
The regulatory authority yesterday said that the action was a
flagrant contravention of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN)
prerequisite guiding cost of products or services in Nigeria.
The apex bank, in a circular dated April 17, 2015, reiterated that
pricing of any product shall continue to be in Naira only, adding that
it was illegal to price or denominate the cost of any product or service
(visible or invisible) in any foreign currency.
Spokesman for NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, in a statement yesterday said the
agency was disturbed by reports that some foreign airlines were not
accepting the Naira as payment for tickets.
“In other words, 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.”
According to the agency, 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).
Consequently, Adurogboye said that the regulatory authority had
written warning letters to the erring airlines to immediately comply
with the provisions of extant pacts, adding that sales of tickets and
services should henceforth be offered to air travellers in Naira. He
further said that the Federal Government had taken measures to
ameliorate the subsisting foreign exchange issues.
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