Aero Contractors, Nigeria’s oldest aviation company, says travellers will pay a minimum of N80,000 for local flights this festive season.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Ado Sanusi, the airline’s managing director, said the ticket price would apply to all Aero’s routes.

Sanusi said through the gesture, billed to end in January next year, the company aims to give back to Nigerians and support them the during the Christmas season.

As at 1:40 pm on Tuesday, Aero’s economy ticket to Abuja from Lagos was N99,643, while business class ticket stood at N189, 167.

“We have understood the pains Nigerians have been going through because of the economic hardship, the high prices of tickets, and the holiday season is nearby,” he said.

“So, Aero contractors has decided to announce a Christmas initiative, we call them, pocket-friendly Christmas prices. These prices are designed to allow Nigerians to travel to all our destinations without paying too much.

“And this is in the spirit of giving, which is the spirit of Christmas. We believe that as a company, this is just a very old history of understanding its customers. We believe it’s time for us to give back to our customers.

“Our prices will start from 80,000 to all of our destinations, and we intend to make it affordable to flying public. And this is to allow the flying public/families to meet their loved ones during this Christmas season.”

Sanusi said the aviation firm has studied the economic situation of the country, assuring that Aero will still be profitable with the price cut.

He also said the three aircraft in the company’s fleet would be sufficient for all its operations, stressing that Aero intends to “continue to be modestly reliable”.

The managing director urged other airlines in the country to also “give back to the customers”.

The house of representatives has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend the “planned” retirement of 1,000 staff.

The apex bank is said to be preparing to retire 1,000 officials and provide them with a severance package totaling over N50 billion.

During Tuesday’s plenary, the house resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the “process and legality” of the exercise to “ensure transparency, accountability, and proper utilisation of funds”.

The lower legislative chamber passed the resolution following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Kama Nkemkama from Ebonyi state.

Nkemkama said the “sudden” planned retirement of the staff, including directors and senior management, “raises critical questions about the criteria for selection, transparency, and adherence to due process in line with public service guidelines and labour laws”.

“Such a significant decision has socio-economic implications for the affected individuals, their dependants, and the broader economy, potentially leading to increased unemployment and public dissatisfaction,” he said.

“The reported payoff scheme amounting to N50 billion may lack sufficient accountability and oversight mechanisms, posing risks of mismanagement and abuse of public funds in a sector vital to Nigeria’s financial stability.”

The motion was adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house.

Consequently, the house asked the ministry of labour and employment to protect the rights of the affected staff.

The committee, when set up, has four weeks to carry out the investigation and report back to the house.

The Federal Government has commenced a free Compressed Natural Gas bus service in Abuja to ease transportation costs for Nigerians in the capital city.

The CNG buses began operations on December 2, 2024, as shown in a video shared by the Presidential CNG Initiative on its X (formerly Twitter) page.

The buses, according to reports, will run along popular routes from suburbs in Abuja such as Mararaba to Eagle Square and Berger bus stop.

The government had said that the buses would convey passengers free of charge for the next 40 days.

The free bus ride will end on January 6, 2025.

Last week, the government, through the Ministry of Transportation, handed over 15 Compressed Natural Gas-powered buses to three transport unions to ease the high cost of transportation in the capital city.

The transport unions that benefitted from the gesture include the National Road Transport Workers Union, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria.

In a video obtained by our correspondent on Monday, commuters who benefitted from the program commended the government initiative to reduce the costs of transportation.

One of the respondents, Fatima, said, “I just boarded a CNG bus going to Maraba, and we were asked not to pay, and I didn’t pay. I hope it will continue for long.

“I like it very much; I know this is the beginning of good things that will happen to Nigerian people.”

Another respondent, Blessing, said, “If they’re doing like this, we’ll be happy. After this one now, let them bring down the price. That’s why I said after this one they should.”