Overland Airways is under scrutiny following a petition accusing it of charging higher fares for shorter flights between Lagos, Ilorin, and Abuja.
A consumer rights group, represented by law firm A.U. Mustapha & Co., filed a complaint with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on August 4, 2025. The petition claims that Overland Airways exploits its monopoly at Ilorin’s General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport by charging passengers travelling the shorter Lagos–Ilorin or Ilorin–Abuja legs more than those flying the entire Lagos–Abuja route.
The petition, titled “Half the Distance! Double the Price! On the Same Flight!”, shows ticket examples where passengers paid over N260,000 for a Lagos to Ilorin ticket and N300,000 for Ilorin to Abuja, while the full Lagos to Abuja flight costs just N160,000.
The law firm acting for The Third Estate and Like Minds Foundation argues that this pricing pattern violates Section 127 of the FCCPC Act, which protects consumers from unfair and exploitative pricing. They stress that the practice places an undue financial burden on Ilorin-bound travellers, likely due to Overland Airways’ exclusive operation in and out of Ilorin airport.
A lawyer at A.U. Mustapha & Co.’s Lagos office confirmed the petition’s origin from their Abuja office but could not comment officially. Overland Airways has yet to respond publicly.
The petitioners are calling on the FCCPC to investigate and sanction the airline if necessary to ensure fair pricing and consumer protection in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
