The President of the National Association of Travel Agents of Nigeria, Yinka Folami, has raised concerns over the growing impact of the Israel-Iran conflict on the operations and revenues of travel agencies in Nigeria, warning that the crisis is already taking a heavy toll on the sector.
Speaking during a press conference held to usher in the association’s Annual General Meeting, which also coincides with the celebration of its golden jubilee, Folami painted a grim picture of how geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, one of the busiest travel corridors for Nigerian passengers, are disrupting business and forcing agents to grapple with mounting losses.
He said, “This Israel-Iran war, we honestly don’t like it. Anytime there is this kind of disruption, we are the first to suffer it and suffer it really. That region is a major hub for Nigeria and takes 30–40 per cent of our traffic. We don’t like it, our members don’t like it, and it is affecting our business in no small measure.”
He explained that, beyond reduced passenger traffic, agents are also burdened with the financial implications of refunds, which often come at high cost to their businesses.
Folami lamented, “I, personally, know the number of refunds that I have had to do, and when this happens, we refund in full, including commissions. So we don’t want it, and we can only pray for peace.”
Away from the war, Folami further mentioned efforts by the association’s leadership to stabilise the industry through advocacy and engagement with key stakeholders. He noted that one of the major battles fought by the association was against cross-border ticket sales, which he described as a major drain on the Nigerian travel market.
