Nigerian Government Unveils ‘Fly Now, Pay Later’ Scheme to Ease Cost of Domestic Flights

Gloria Adesanya 11:15 - 18 March 2026

FG Introduces Fly Now, Pay Later to ease Nigerians’ Flight Costs

For many Nigerians, booking a flight has become a luxury. You check prices, hesitate, close the tab, and tell yourself "later". That “later” is exactly what the Federal Government now wants to fix.

On Tuesday, the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) announced a new financing product: Fly Now, Pay Later. This scheme allows Nigerians to book domestic flights immediately and pay over time.

Not everyone will qualify. The scheme is targeted at eligible customers and features structured repayment plans tied to consumer credit assessments.

According to CREDICORP, the goal is to remove the biggest obstacle many travellers face: upfront payment.

“Eligible customers can book domestic flights today and repay the cost over time… removing the upfront barrier that often delays important trips.”

How the Scheme Works

FG Introduces Fly Now, Pay Later to ease Nigerians’ Flight Costs

CREDICORP says the product is being rolled out in partnership with the following:

MyVisaro

Alert Microfinance Bank

Through this collaboration, users can:

Book flights to any destination within Nigeria

Pay in instalments over an agreed period

Access financing based on eligibility checks

Applications are currently routed through Visaro’s platform (visaro.ng), where users can initiate bookings and financing requests.

Why Is This Important Right Now?

Domestic airfares in Nigeria have been climbing steadily, but things escalated sharply during the 2025 festive season. One-way tickets on some routes shot up by as much as 150%, crossing the ₦300,000 mark. Separate investigations indicate that some tickets surged to as high as ₦400,000–₦600,000 in extreme cases during that period.

Airlines didn't deny the claims but pointed to familiar pressures like:

Aviation fuel (Jet A1) costs

Foreign exchange volatility

Rising operational expenses

The explanation doesn't soften the blow for travellers. A quick trip from Lagos to Abuja, for instance, can now feel like an international expense. This is the gap the government is trying to fill.

Who Really Benefits From this Scheme?

On the surface, this looks like a win for middle-income earners, people who need to travel for work, emergencies, or family obligations but can’t always pay upfront.

But eligibility criteria will matter a lot.

If requirements are too strict, the people who need it most may be left out. If they’re too loose, there’s a risk of defaults, something Nigeria’s financial system doesn’t take lightly.

There’s also the question of interest rates and hidden charges, which haven’t been fully detailed yet. Online, reactions are beginning to trickle in, some funny, others sceptical, and none hopeful.

Fly Now, Pay Later sounds tempting, but with Nigeria’s economy, people should be careful easy credit can quickly turn into debt many can’t handle
— osondu Chinaemerem (@chinaemere61124) March 17, 2026

“Fly Now, Pay Later” sounds catchy but feels like a social experiment. If it works, it could reshape how Nigerians think about paying for not just flights, but life’s bigger expenses.