- Aviation fuel (Jet A1) has surged by 300% in less than two months, jumping from ₦900 in February to ₦3,300 per litre in April 2026.
- The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have warned of a potential shutdown of flight operations by next week, citing an “existential threat” to the industry.
- Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo has appealed for restraint on fare hikes and flight suspensions, scheduling a high-level emergency meeting for Wednesday, April 22, in Abuja.
The Federal Government has moved to prevent a total collapse of the Nigerian aviation sector following an unprecedented spike in the cost of aviation fuel.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in an official appeal issued on Friday, April 17, 2026, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo urged domestic carriers to reconsider plans to ground their fleets and pleaded with them not to transfer the 300% cost increase to the traveling public through astronomical airfares.
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The crisis follows a letter from the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) dated April 14, in which the body described the fuel price surge as “artificial” and warned that current revenues can no longer cover even the basic cost of fueling an aircraft.
Minister Keyamo acknowledged the “evidently difficult conditions” under which local airlines are currently operating.
In a letter addressed to the AON, he emphasized that the President Bola Tinubu administration views aviation as a “critical national asset” essential for national security, trade, and economic integration.
“Any immediate upward adjustment in ticket prices would impose significant hardship on the traveling public and potentially depress demand,” Keyamo stated.
He further warned that a suspension of flights would “erode public confidence and undermine the progress recorded under ongoing reforms.”
To address the “astronomical” price hike, the Ministry of Aviation has convened a high-level emergency stakeholders’ meeting.
Scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, 2026, the session will bring together regulatory authorities, fuel suppliers, and airline heads to find a “prompt, practical, and sustainable resolution.”
The AON has previously cautioned that if the situation is not rectified, it could lead to massive job losses, disrupt financial institutions heavily invested in the sector, and heighten insecurity by forcing more travelers onto the nation’s highways.
As the industry awaits the outcome of next Wednesday’s meeting, passengers remain on edge, fearing that the era of affordable domestic air travel in Nigeria may be coming to an abrupt end.
