The Federal Government has intensified efforts to strengthen the naira against the dollar within the aviation sector as part of ongoing measures to stabilize the nation’s foreign exchange market and protect consumers from unfair practices by foreign airlines.
President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mr. Yinka Folami, disclosed that the government will soon put an end to the sale of flight tickets in foreign currency by international airlines operating in Nigeria.
Folami described the continuous sale of tickets in dollars as a “crime against the economy”, stressing that the practice violates Nigerian regulations and exerts undue pressure on the naira.
“Those of us in the aviation space understand that until we have a strong Nigerian carrier to stand in the gap, these issues will persist. I am happy to inform Nigerians that the government is squarely addressing the issue of ticket sales in foreign currency, and that is the latest update on the matter,” he said.
He explained that the move aligns with the Federal Government’s broader policy direction to ensure that all local transactions, particularly in the travel and aviation industry, are conducted in naira to boost confidence in the national currency.
According to him, the enforcement of this policy will not only protect Nigerian travelers from exchange rate volatility but also send a strong message to foreign operators that the nation’s economic rules must be respected.
Industry observers have also noted that President Bola Tinubu’s continuous economic and monetary reforms aimed at strengthening the naira and asserting Nigeria’s economic sovereignty have not gone unnoticed by Western powers.
According to analysts, these bold policy moves designed to reduce dependence on foreign currencies and reclaim national control over key economic decisions, are among the underlying factors fueling resentment from some Western circles, including U.S. President Donald Trump, whose recent campaign remarks and threats against Nigeria are seen as attempts to challenge the country’s growing financial and economy independence.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, is expected to announce clear implementation guidelines in the coming days as discussions with key aviation stakeholders continue.
