In the high-stakes theatre of global aviation, Nigeria has long been a leading actor, providing one of the most lucrative hubs for international carriers in Africa. Yet, a troubling subtext has emerged in our hangars: the growing insistence by some foreign airlines to price and sell tickets exclusively in US Dollars. As we navigate the second quarter of 2026, this practice has moved beyond a “temporary hedge” to a direct affront to Nigeria’s monetary sovereignty and the integrity of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Act. 

The argument for dollar-denominated fares was historically anchored in the “trapped funds” crisis, especially the bruising 2023 expeaarience. However, that narrative has lost its wings. With the CBN having successfully cleared the $850 million backlog and established more predictable repatriation channels, the continued rejection of the Naira for flights originating within our borders is no longer a survival tactic—it is a choice. It is a choice that treats Nigeria not as a sovereign partner, but as a frontier outpost where the local legal tender is merely a suggestion, which is unacceptable.

When an airline demands dollars from a passenger in Lagos or Abuja, they are effectively imposing the risk of exchange rate volatility directly to the Nigerian consumer. For the civil servant, the entrepreneur, or the student, this creates a “shadow inflation” that makes international mobility a moving target.

Furthermore, it creates a distorted, two-tier market where local carriers—bound by law to trade in Naira—are forced to compete on an uneven playing field against global giants holding hard currency reserves.

In robust economies like the United Kingdom, South Africa, or Kenya, foreign carriers wouldn’t dream of demanding anything other than the Pound, Rand, or Shilling for local departures. Why then is Nigeria the exception? The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, NANTA, has rightly called this practice “disrespectful,” and they are correct. To allow exclusion of the Naira is to diminish our standing in the global financial ecosystem. 

The remedy requires more than just “encouragement.” The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, must pivot from oversight to enforcement. Compliance with local currency laws should be a non-negotiable condition for market access. If you fly our skies and use our terminals, you must use our currency.

However, enforcement must be met with efficiency. Government must ensure that the “balanced approach” advocated by stakeholders remains a reality—guaranteeing that once the Naira is collected, airlines have seamless, transparent immediate access to foreign exchange for repatriation.

Pricing in Naira is not about protectionism; it is policy consistency. It is time to ground the dollar-only era and ensure that in the Nigerian skies, the Naira remains the only legal tender that truly flies.