Ata Ikiddeh’s outspoken piece rings true for countless Akwa Ibomites and Nigerians struggling this festive season: Ibom Air tickets from Lagos or Abuja to Uyo have skyrocketed to ₦300,000–₦500,000 one-way in peak demand, pushing return trips close to ₦1 million. This makes flying home a luxury few can afford, especially amid Nigeria’s harsh economic realities.
While Ibom Air deserves credit for its turnaround in revenue and profitability in under Governor Umo Eno’s administration this “entrepreneurial discipline” has not translated to affordable access during Christmas. High fares exploit limited competition and desperate demand, burdening the middle class and deterring visitors who boost the local economy through hotels, tourism, and spending.
Ikiddeh further captured that when air travel to the state capital becomes punitive, it fuels resentment and highlights deeper failures. As a wholly state-owned airline, Ibom Air’s success is inextricably tied to the governor’s vision. If Ibom Air is failing to make travel accessible for ordinary citizens prioritizing profits over people during key seasons it means the Governor himself has failed to the core in balancing commercial viability with public service.
Profitability is vital, but not when it prices out the very people the airline was meant to serve. An airline that bleeds citizens dry during peak periods is not a success story, no matter how profitable it claims to be. If Ibom Air is failing, it means the Governor himself has failed to the core. Leadership is not measured by balance sheets alone but by outcomes that ease, not worsen, the burdens on citizens.
