•New NCAA-approved rate takes effect Dec 1
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has approved an increase in the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) at Asaba International Airport, raising it from N8,000 to N13,000 per departing passenger. The new rate takes effect December 1, 2026.
In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of Asaba Airport Company Limited dated September 22, 2026 and signed by the Director of Airworthiness Standards, Godwin Balang, on behalf of the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Chris Najomo, the NCAA said the approval follows the airport’s application to increase the PSC which was submitted to the Authority in August.
While explaining the rationale behind the approval, the NCAA said the PSC had remained at N8,000 since 2023, even as the cost of running and maintaining the airport rose sharply. According to the airport’s figures, the PSC-related cost per passenger climbed from about N6,251 in 2023 to about N9,096 in 2025. At the existing charge, the airport said it reported a shortfall of roughly N1,096 for every departing passenger.
In the letter, the Authority cited rising operating costs in energy, personnel, training, maintenance, and other essential services at the airport. It also cited planned capital spending on critical facilities, including apron rehabilitation, ground power systems, check-in infrastructure, air-conditioning, lift replacement, toilet upgrades, and other terminal improvements. According to the NCAA, the airport’s financial report which was submitted while seeking for an approval to increase PSC, shows continued pressure on its operating results and a need for more revenue to keep services running and improve them.
“Following a review of the financial, operational and stakeholder-consultation information submitted in support of the application, the Authority notes that the PSC has remained unchanged at N8,OOO.OO since 2023. notwithstanding significant increases in the cost of providing and maintaining airport facilities and passenger-related services. In particular. The Airport reported that its PSC-related cost per passenger increased from approximately N6,251.34 in 2023 to N9,096.35 in 2025, resulting in a reported shortfall of approximately Nl ,096.35 per passenger at the existing PSC,” the NCAA said.
The Authority, however, gave a caveat, saying that the approval is based on the conditions that the PSC shall be applied uniformly and on a non-discriminatory basis to all applicable departing passengers; costs attributed to the PSC shall be limited to costs reasonably related to the provision, operation, maintenance and improvement of passenger-related airport facilities and services and shall be supported by appropriate financial records;
It also stated that the Asaba Airport Company Limited shall maintain a transparent and auditable cost-allocation methodology and make relevant financial, traffic and operational records available to NCAA anytime upon request; revenue generated from the revised PSC shall be applied towards the sustainable provision, maintenance and improvement of the facilities and services associated with the charge.
Also, the airport must provide adequate notice before the revised charge to airlines, passengers and other affected airport users prior to implementation: and the revised PSC shall remain subject to NCAA’s continuing economic oversight: and periodic review, taking into consideration actual traffic, operating costs, capital expenditure, service quality and other relevant economic circumstance.
The NCAA explained that before it took the decision to approve the increase, it considered concerns raised during stakeholder consultations, particularly from some airline operators who warned that the higher charge could push up airfares and affect passenger demand. The regulator said it weighed those concerns against the airport’s cost and investment needs and the principles of cost-relatedness, transparency, non-discrimination, and consultation and concluded that a review of the charge was justified.
The regulator also urged the airport company to reduce its dependence on passenger-linked charges saying: “Asaba Airport Company Limited to intensify efforts towards diversifying its non-aeronautical revenue base, including commercial concessions, advertising, car parking, property development/leasing, cargo-related activities and other viable commercial initiatives, in order to reduce over-dependence on passenger-related charges and strengthen the Airport’s long-term financial sustainability.
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