The Federal High Court in Abuja has upheld the power of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate consumer complaints relating to airline ticket pricing.

The court dismissed a suit filed by Air Peace Limited, which challenged the Commission’s authority to request information from the airline over complaints about increases in domestic airfares.

Justice B.F.M. Nyako, in a judgment delivered on June 29, 2026, ruled that the FCCPC acted within its statutory mandate under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018.

According to a report by Independent, the case followed a request made by the FCCPC in January 2025 after passengers complained about sharp increases in Air Peace ticket prices on some domestic routes in December 2024.

Air Peace had argued that the Commission lacked the power to investigate airfare pricing unless the President first activated the price regulation provisions of the FCCPA. The airline also asked the court to stop the FCCPC from conducting the investigation.

However, the court rejected the airline’s argument, holding that investigating consumer complaints is different from regulating or controlling prices.

Justice Nyako ruled that the FCCPC’s request for information was a lawful fact-finding exercise and did not amount to price control.

The court noted that the Commission did not order Air Peace to reduce its fares, impose a pricing formula or declare the airline’s ticket prices illegal.

The judge further held that accepting Air Peace’s interpretation of the law would weaken the Commission’s ability to investigate consumer complaints on pricing matters.

The judgment is the second legal victory recorded by the FCCPC against Air Peace on a similar issue within three months. In April 2026, another Federal High Court judge, Justice James Omotosho, dismissed a related suit challenging the Commission’s investigative powers.

Reacting to the ruling, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, described the judgment as an important confirmation of the Commission’s authority to investigate market conduct where consumers may be affected.

Bello said the court had clearly affirmed that investigating complaints is not the same as regulating prices.

“The FCCPC neither sought to fix nor regulate Air Peace’s fares. It simply exercised its lawful authority to obtain information as part of an investigation into a matter of legitimate consumer concern,” he said.

He added that an investigation is only a fact-finding process and should not be interpreted as a finding of guilt, an enforcement action or an attempt to control prices.

Bello reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to carrying out its mandate fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law.