A social media post by a Nigerian man comparing historical and current airfares has ignited a fierce online debate about the country's economic state and the soaring cost of travel.
Viral Ticket Reveals Staggering Price Difference
The conversation began when an X (formerly Twitter) user, @SadiqMaunde, shared a photo of an old air ticket from 2011. The document showed that a flight from London to Lagos for an adult cost N96,400 at the time. Expressing shock, Maunde wrote in his post: "Bro, look at the price of flight from Lagos to London in 2011. 2011 oo, not 1811!"
His post quickly went viral, resonating with many Nigerians who remember a time when international travel was significantly more affordable. The shared ticket served as a stark, tangible reminder of the drastic inflation in air travel costs over the past decade and a half.
Nigerians React with Nostalgia and Frustration
The revelation triggered a flood of reactions from netizens, sharing their own experiences and lamenting the current economic realities.
User @katotinz recalled, "In 2006, upon completing secondary school, a typical civil servant in Kaduna State could easily afford to send their children to study abroad... Nowadays, however, this is entirely out of reach."
Another user, @sir_euzebus, shared a more recent but still stark comparison: "In 2021, I flew from Lagos to London with Egyptian Airlines for N140,000... They accommodated me in a five-star hotel in Egypt during the layover, all for N140,000."
User @thechikwado pointed out, "In 2018, it was still under 200k. In fact, my return flight in 2021 was about 220k." The sentiment of drastic recent increase was echoed by @Milla_Shinggu, who noted that a bank employee in 2011 could comfortably holiday in the UK, whereas today even a manager earning over a million naira would struggle.
Some, like @BiodunAdeyanju1, offered a different perspective, attributing costs to market forces: "In a free enterprise economy where demand and supply determine the price? Everything is not politics."
The Hard Numbers: Currency Depreciation and Deregulation
One user, @royaleagle712, provided crucial context by breaking down the exchange rate. They noted that in 2011, the naira traded at roughly N155.7 to $1, making the N96,400 ticket equivalent to about $619. Currently, a similar ticket might cost between $575 and $780, which is not a massive increase in dollar terms. However, with the naira's steep depreciation, that same dollar price now converts to a staggering N852,000 to over N1.1 million.
This highlights that the core issue extends beyond airline pricing directly to the performance of the Nigerian currency. The aviation sector itself has also seen dramatic changes. As previously reported, airfares for Nigerian airlines rose by 47.64% in one year. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has clarified that the government lacks the legal power to regulate fares, as the sector has been fully deregulated for decades.
The viral ticket is more than a nostalgic artifact; it's a catalyst for a broader discussion on purchasing power, currency stability, and the economic challenges facing ordinary Nigerians who wish to travel.
