The Airline Operators of Nigeria has warned that domestic airlines may suspend operations from April 20 if the soaring cost of Jet A1 fuel is not urgently addressed.
In a letter dated April 14 to the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, the group said aviation fuel prices have surged from ₦900 per litre at the end of February to ₦3,300 per litre — a rise of more than 300 percent in a matter of weeks.
AON described the increase as “astronomical and unsustainable,” arguing that it does not reflect global oil market realities. The group said international crude prices have only risen by about 30 percent during the same period.
According to the operators, airlines have been absorbing the rising costs for over a month to avoid disrupting travel, but the situation has become impossible to manage. “Airline revenues are insufficient to cover the cost of fuel alone,” the letter stated.
The association said the impact is already being felt, revealing that one airline has been grounded since March 13 because of the fuel crisis.
AON warned that if the trend continues, more airlines could shut down, with major consequences for jobs, business activity, and national security. “All airlines in Nigeria will be compelled to suspend operations effective Monday, April 20, 2026,” the group said in what it described as a final notice.
The letter was also copied to President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the aviation minister, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and the Department of State Services.
The warning has raised fresh concerns about the stability of Nigeria’s aviation sector as passengers and stakeholders await action from fuel marketers and the government.
