NCAA Calls for Restraints Over Cross-Border Trading Crisis

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has called for restraint over the rise in Cross-Border Trading (CBT) in Nigeria’s travel sector, describing the menace as “a cancer” to the aviation industry.

Mrs. Olayinka Babaoye-Iriobe, the Director of Air Transport Regulations (DATR), gave this warning at a crucial meeting with officials of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), and key stakeholders at the NCAA Lagos Regional Office Annex Training Hall, Ikeja, on the 25th of November 2025.

The Director explained that CBT weakens revenue drive, destabilizes the market, puts pressure on the naira, and threatens the survival of local travel agents, resulting in capital flight, loss of tax revenue, and regulatory loopholes that undermine the system.

While thanking all stakeholders for their cooperation and continued teamwork, Mrs. Olayinka-Iriobe called for collective action to protect the aviation sector, reaffirming the Ministry and NCAA’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and a stable aviation marketplace.