Domestic airline operators in Nigeria have threatened to shutdown operations from April 20, 2026, over what they describe as exploitative pricing of aviation fuel by JetA1 marketers.
Under the umbrella of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, the carriers say the price of JetA1 has surged by 300% in four weeks, significantly raising cost per litre from N900 in late February to N3,300 as current price.
The operators accuse fuel marketers of imposing “astronomical and artificial increase not commensurate with the rise in crude oil prices and well above international market benchmarks, which reflect approximately a 30% increase in crude oil cost.”
In a letter addressed to the Executive Secretary and Executive Officer of Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, they warned that “if ticket prices are adjusted to reflect the current cost of aviation fuel, flights will operate with low passenger loads, airlines may cease operations,” which will negatively impact financial institutions leading to lost of millions of livelihoods and rise in insecurity.
They are calling on marketers to adjust prices in line with international benchmarks to prevent a total disruption of the aviation sector.
President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Avaition Minister Festus Keyamo, Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Chris Ona Najomo, and the Director General, Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi, were all copied in the operators’ letter.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
