Court Upholds FCCPC Powers To Probe Air Peace Ticket Pricing

The Federal High Court in Abuja has upheld the power of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate complaints about Air Peace ticket pricing.

Justice B.F.M. Nyako dismissed Air Peace’s suit challenging the commission’s authority, holding that an investigation into consumer complaints is different from price control.

The case followed the FCCPC’s January 2025 request for information from Air Peace after passengers complained about sharp increases in fares on some domestic routes in December 2024.

Air Peace argued that the commission could not investigate airline ticket pricing unless the President first activated price control provisions under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018. The airline asked the court to stop the investigation.

The court rejected that argument. Premium Times reported that the judge held the FCCPC acted within its powers under Sections 17, 32 and 33 of the Act and did not order Air Peace to reduce fares or adopt a pricing formula.

Daily Post also reported that the ruling followed an earlier Air Peace case in which another Federal High Court judge backed the commission’s authority to investigate the airline.

The FCCPC said the ruling protects its ability to look into consumer complaints without turning every inquiry into government price fixing.

Sources: Premium Times, Daily Post