AS the festive season approaches, inbound and outbound international air travellers in Nigeria will face a new tax regime, with $11.5 security levy set to take effect from December 1, 2025.
In a notice to airlines, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) reportedly explained that the initiative was in partnership with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and the levy was intended to establish a “single window” system for all airport agencies, with the collection set to run for 20 years.
“The APIS charge will be collected as a point of sale and will be levied on all tickets issued from December 1, 2025, for each passenger departing from or arriving in Nigeria. The lifting airline is responsible for remitting the APIS charge to the NCAA,” the notice read.
The NCAA explained that the new levy under the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), raised Nigeria’s security charge to $31.50 per flight ticket and was projected to generate about $46 million annually.
The ICIR reports that the new levy is expected to further raise the cost of international travel for Nigerian passengers.
“Therefore, all airlines (including Nigerian carriers) operating international flights into and out of Nigeria are required to take immediate steps to update ticketing and reservation systems to reflect the new APIS charge, as invoicing for the charge will commence from 1st December 2025 for tickets issued to passengers from 01DEC2025 for travel to and from Nigeria,” the NCAA said.
According to the agency, the system is designed to enhance passenger tracking, strengthen border control, and offer airlines a cost-recovery framework for maintaining the system.
It further noted that the $11.5 levy would streamline passenger clearance at Nigerian airports by collecting and processing passenger data before arrival.
The NCAA maintained that the levy was in line with international best practices and complied with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The authority exempted infants, diplomats, airline crew on duty, passengers in transit or transfer within 24 hours, and those re-routed involuntarily due to technical issues or weather conditions from the new levy.
The average inbound or outbound passenger in Nigeria will now pay roughly $150 in various taxes, charges, and levies.
The agency explained that each inbound and outward passenger had been paying $20 and five per cent as security and Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), respectively, to NCAA, while FAAN received $100 as Passenger Service Charge (PSC).
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.