Due to a sharp and unsustainable increase in the price of aviation fuel, Nigerian airline operators have issued a warning that flight operations may be suspended nationwide starting on April 20, 2026.
In a letter dated April 14 and addressed to Clement Isong, Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) revealed this.
The AON claims that the cost of Jet A1 fuel has increased by more than 300%, from N900 per litre on February 28 to N3,300 per litre.
in a few weeks.
The group said airlines have absorbed the rising costs for more than four weeks out of a sense of national duty but warned that the situation has become untenable.
“Airline revenues are insufficient to cover the cost of fuel alone,” the letter stated, adding that continued operations under the current pricing regime are no longer viable.
AON further accused fuel marketers of actions that are “decimating the aviation industry,” warning of wider implications for Nigeria’s economy, safety, and national security.
The association revealed that the impact is already being felt, with at least one airline grounding operations since March 13 due to the fuel crisis. It cautioned that more carriers could suspend services if urgent intervention is not taken.
Describing aviation as a sector of strategic national importance, the group stressed that the prevailing fuel pricing structure is “unhealthy and detrimental to national wellbeing.”
The operators described the spike as “astronomical and unsustainable,” alleging that it is artificial and inconsistent with global oil market trends.
They noted that international crude oil prices have risen by only about 30 per cent within the same period.
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