The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled in favour of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), affirming its power to probe consumer complaints regarding airline ticket pricing.
In a judgment delivered on June 29, Justice B.F.M. Nyako dismissed a lawsuit filed by Air Peace Limited, which had challenged the FCCPC’s right to investigate alleged sharp increases in domestic airfares.
The court clarified that the Commission’s investigative powers under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 are separate from any authority to regulate or fix prices.
The case arose after widespread consumer complaints about significant fare hikes on certain domestic routes during the 2024 Christmas travel season.
In response, the FCCPC sought information from Air Peace as part of its fact-finding process.
The airline argued that the Commission could not inquire into pricing matters unless the President activated specific price regulation provisions in the Act.
Justice Nyako rejected this position, ruling that
