In a formal statement issued by Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs at the FCCPC, the Commission expressed concern that the airline’s actions may violate Sections 130(1)(a) and (b), and 130(2)(b) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018. These provisions protect consumers' rights to timely refunds when services paid for in advance—such as flight bookings—are not fulfilled due to a provider’s failure.
“These actions potentially contravene sections of the FCCPA which expressly guarantee consumers the right to refunds,” the statement read. “This provision enshrines the principle of fair dealing and safeguards consumers against unfair, unjust, or unreasonable practices.”
Summons and Compliance Demands
According to the Commission, a formal summons dated June 13, 2025, has been issued to Air Peace, requiring its executives to appear before the Commission at its Abuja headquarters on Monday, June 23, 2025. The FCCPC invoked Sections 32 and 33 of the FCCPA to issue this order.
Section 33(3) of the Act mandates strict compliance, and failure to respond could result in fines or imprisonment for responsible parties.
In addition to the summons, Air Peace has been directed to produce several critical documents, including:
- A complaint log of refund requests over the past 12 months,
- A detailed list of processed refunds,
- A record of cancelled flights on all routes over the same period,
- And any remedial steps taken to mitigate the hardship experienced by passengers due to those cancellations.
Background: Previous Investigations and Legal Pushback
This is not the first time Air Peace has come under regulatory scrutiny. In December 2024, the FCCPC launched a separate investigation into exploitative ticket pricing on certain domestic routes, particularly related to abrupt price hikes for advance bookings. The airline, in response, filed legal action seeking to stop the Commission from pursuing that inquiry.
However, the FCCPC clarified that the refund-related summons is a separate matter and falls squarely within its mandate to protect consumers from unfair commercial practices.
Regulatory Outlook
The FCCPC emphasized its unwavering commitment to enforcing the FCCPA and holding all service providers, including airlines, accountable for market practices that harm consumers.
“The Commission remains committed to ensuring that consumers, including airline passengers, are protected from exploitative or unfair market conduct,” the statement concluded.
As air travel becomes increasingly vital to both business and personal mobility across Nigeria, regulators like the FCCPC are intensifying oversight to ensure airlines meet their obligations—especially in areas that directly impact passengers' rights and financial interests.