The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) has condemned the continued refusal of three international airlines to accept naira for ticket sales in Nigeria, describing the practice as disrespectful to the country’s sovereignty and harmful to its currency.
Speaking with The PUNCH, NANTA President, Yinka Folarin, criticised what he termed the “arrogant stance” of some foreign carriers that have refused to reintroduce the naira into their ticketing platforms despite improvements in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market.
According to him, while most airlines operating in Nigeria have adopted the local currency, a few continue to insist on dollar-only transactions. “It is no longer a general industry problem. Only about three airlines are still selling exclusively in dollars.
We are not allowed to name them due to professional ethics and anti-competition regulations, but their actions are clear: they are punishing the naira, excluding it from trade within its own country,” Folarin said.
He argued that the refusal to accept naira undermines recent monetary reforms and efforts to stabilise the economy.
“There is no justifiable reason for this anymore; liquidity has improved, the process is more transparent, and there are no outstanding remittance issues.
Over 30 airlines are currently repatriating funds without challenges. If those ones can comply, why are these three still operating otherwise? It’s simply arrogance,” he stated.Folarin commended the Central Bank of Nigeria and other authorities for improving transparency in the forex market but insisted that all stakeholders must support the federal government’s economic recovery agenda.
“We are not asking for favours, we are asking for fairness. The naira deserves to be respected in its own country,” he said.Also reacting, aviation expert Group Captain John Ojikutu (retd.) said the practice may be linked to unresolved questions around trapped airline funds. He noted that if government has cleared outstanding remittances, there is no justification for dollar-only ticketing in Nigeria.
“I am not sure if they have gotten their money. But if they have, the government should stop them immediately. I think this is happening because some people may be benefiting from it internally. That cannot stand if we are no longer owing them. It is wrong and must be corrected without delay,” Ojikutu stated.
He, however, acknowledged that since airlines often pay certain service charges in dollars, they may prefer to recoup earnings in the same currency. Still, he stressed that Nigeria must assert its sovereignty. “If a foreign airline continues to take dollars for ticket sales, it should be stopped and investigated,” he added.
The position of NANTA and aviation experts underscores growing frustration in the sector. For many, the continued rejection of the naira by a few airlines is not just a business decision but a challenge to Nigeria’s economic stability and independence.
With over 30 airlines already accepting the naira, attention now rests on the remaining holdouts whose actions, stakeholders warn, could undermine progress in restoring confidence in the Nigerian economy.
