Domestic airlines set to shut down operations over surging fuel price

Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has threatened to shut down operations from Monday, April 20, 2026, over surging aviation fuel prices.

The AON disclosed this in a letter signed by Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, president of AON to Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria and copied to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kashim Shettima, the Vice President; the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and the Director General, Department of State Services.

The airline operators stated that the price of Jet A1 as sold by marketers has risen significantly from the initial N900/litre as at February 28, 2026, to N3,300/litre as at Wednesday.

According the AON, this represents an increase of over 300 percent.

The airline operators stated that if ticket prices are adjusted to reflect the current cost of aviation fuel, flights will operate with low passenger loads, adding that if airlines cease operations, financial institutions will be impacted, millions of livelihoods will be lost, and insecurity may increase.

The operators called on marketers to proportionately adjust jet fuel prices in line with international market realities, stressing that they can no longer sustain purchases at the current exorbitant rates.

The operators stated that if this trend persists, all airlines in Nigeria will be compelled to suspend operations effective Monday, April 20, 2026, adding that this will serve as its final appeal.

“This astronomical and artificial increase is not commensurate with the rise in crude oil prices and is well above international market benchmarks, which reflect approximately a 30 percent increase in crude oil cost.

“For the past four weeks, airlines have endured this burden and continued operations out of patriotism and in the spirit of service to the nation. However, the situation has now become unbearable and clearly unsustainable.

“Currently, airline revenues are insufficient to cover the cost of fuel alone, which is only one of many operational expenses incurred daily. The situation continues to deteriorate,” the letter reads.

The airline operators stated that the actions of fuel marketers are effectively decimating the aviation industry and putting the nation’s economy, safety, and security at risk, as airlines are gradually being forced to suspend operations.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this arbitrary increase has already severely impacted one airline, forcing it to ground all operations since March 13, 2026. This may become inevitable for other airlines if the situation does not change immediately.

“Aviation remains a sector of strategic national importance. The continued arbitrary rise in jet fuel prices is both unhealthy and detrimental to national wellbeing. Airlines are now facing existential threats, with serious consequences for the broader economy,” the AON stated.