Foreign airlines ditch naira, start ticket sales in U.S. dollars

The new regulation, according to APG, is the result of the difficulty in repatriating airline funds stuck in Nigeria.

Chukwuemeka Ayomide • April 14, 2022

An EgyptAir Airlines passenger takes off from Charles de Gaulle airport, operated by Aeroports de Paris, in Roissy, France, on Thursday, May 19, 2016. Egypt deployed naval ships to search for an EgyptAir Airbus A320 en route to Cairo from Paris that went missing overnight off the coast of the North African country with 66 people on board. Photographer: Christophe Morin/Bloomberg

Some foreign airlines operating in Nigeria have announced that they will commence sales of flight tickets in U.S. dollars from April 19, 2022.

Making this announcement in an advisory to its travel partners, APG, the world’s largest passenger and cargo general sales agent, disclosed that the new policy will most likely be a temporary measure till the country’s forex situation improves.

The new regulation, according to APG, is the result of the difficulty in repatriating airline funds stuck in Nigeria and other countries, as well as foreign exchange fluctuations.

“Dear travel partners, warm greetings from APG. This is to bring to your notice that with effect from April 19, 2022, GP would only accept issuing of tickets in US dollars and not naira,” the advisory reads.

“This is mainly due to repatriation issues and the forex situation in the country. This would most likely be a temporary measure till the forex situation improves,” it added.

Airlines that use the APG Interline Electronic Ticketing (IET) GP code 275 will be affected by the new policy.

South Africa Airways, Turkish Airlines, Asky Airlines, Egypt Air, Royal Air Maroc, Middle East Airlines, Rwanda Air, and Kenya Airways are among the airlines that fly directly into Nigeria under the APG IET platform.