Nigeria’s domestic aviation sector has been thrown into fresh turmoil as the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) warned that all local carriers may suspend flight operations from April 20, 2026, over what it described as an unbearable and “artificially inflated” rise in aviation fuel prices.
In a strongly worded notice dated April 14 and signed by AON President, Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, the operators said the cost of Jet A1 fuel has skyrocketed from about N900 per litre in late February to as high as N3,300 per litre—an increase they described as “astronomical, unsustainable, and threatening the survival of the industry.”
The notice, addressed to the executive secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, also copied top government officials, including President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, as well as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to the operators under the aegis of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), the sudden spike in aviation fuel prices has far outpaced global crude oil trends, which they claim have risen by about 30 per cent, while Jet A1 prices in Nigeria have surged by over 300 per cent.
The association lamented that airlines have been forced to absorb the rising costs for weeks “out of patriotism,” warning that the situation has now become economically impossible to sustain.
“Airline revenues are no longer sufficient to cover fuel expenses alone, not to mention other operational costs,” the group said, adding that the development is pushing the sector towards a systemic collapse.
The operators further warned that one domestic airline had already suspended operations since March 13 due to the harsh operating environment, cautioning that more carriers could follow if urgent intervention is not made.
They also raised concerns over broader economic implications, noting that a nationwide shutdown of flight operations would disrupt jobs, financial institutions, logistics chains, and national mobility.
Attempts to transfer the rising costs to passengers, the association said, would also be counterproductive, as higher fares could drastically reduce passenger traffic and further weaken airline revenues.
The group stressed that the aviation sector was facing an “existential threat,” urging stakeholders in the downstream petroleum and aviation fuel supply chain to immediately review pricing in line with global market realities.
“Unless there is an urgent adjustment, airlines will have no choice but to suspend operations nationwide effective Monday, April 20, 2026,” the notice warned.
The AON described the warning as a final appeal for intervention, as tension continues to mount within Nigeria’s aviation industry over escalating operational costs and fuel supply concerns.
FOLLOW US
FOR MORE HERE
