Nigeria’s domestic airlines have issued a final warning that they will ground all operations from Monday, April 20, 2026, unless the price of aviation fuel is urgently brought under control, in what would be a crippling blow to air travel across the country’s domestic network.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) made the threat in a letter dated April 14, 2026, addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Clement Isong, with copies sent to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Minister of Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The AON described the surge as “astronomical and unsustainable,” noting that the price of Jet A1 fuel has risen from N900 per litre as of February 28 to N3,300 per litre, an increase of more than 300 percent within weeks, far outpacing the approximately 30 percent rise recorded in international crude oil prices over the same period.
The operators said they had continued absorbing the rising costs for over four weeks out of patriotism, but warned that airline revenues were now insufficient to cover fuel expenses alone, describing the situation as no longer manageable.
The April 14 letter was a follow-up to an earlier communique sent on March 30, 2026, under the heading “Urgent Call for Proportionate Review of Jet A1 Price,” indicating that the industry had already flagged the crisis weeks before escalating its position.
The AON disclosed that one airline had already been forced to ground all its operations since March 13, 2026, as a direct consequence of the rising fuel costs, and warned that others could follow if the situation does not change immediately.
The sharp rise has been driven by a combination of global and domestic factors, including crude oil price fluctuations, foreign exchange constraints, supply chain challenges, and the deregulation of Nigeria’s downstream oil sector, which allows market forces to determine fuel prices while limited local refining capacity forces marketers to rely heavily on imports.
Aviation fuel accounts for more than 40 percent of airline operating costs in Nigeria, making it the single most significant cost driver in the sector. The AON argued that the disproportionate increase was artificial and accused fuel marketers of exploiting global tensions, particularly in the Middle East, to inflate prices beyond what market conditions justify.
The group warned that a shutdown would have sweeping consequences, disrupting millions of livelihoods, affecting financial institutions, and worsening insecurity across the country. It urged MEMAN to intervene immediately and ensure that Jet A1 prices are aligned with international market realities.
“Accordingly, we hereby give notice that if this trend persists, all airlines in Nigeria will be compelled to suspend operations effective Monday, April 20, 2026. This serves as our final appeal,” the letter stated.
Government authorities and fuel marketers have yet to issue a public response as of Thursday morning.
