Stakeholders in Nigeria’s aviation industry have called on the federal and state governments to urgently intervene in the rising cost of aviation fuel, warning that the 2026 Hajj airlift may be at risk if the situation persists.
Operating under the umbrella of the Concerned Aviation Stakeholders, the group said the sharp increase in Jet A1 prices has become one of the most serious financial and logistical challenges facing Hajj operations in recent years.
The group’s president, Bukalti Usaman Gamawa, warned that the surge in fuel costs could make it difficult for airlines contracted for the pilgrimage exercise to sustain operations.
He explained that many of the carriers involved rely on leased aircraft, adding that rising fuel prices have wiped out expected profit margins, leaving some operators at break-even levels or potential losses.
“If urgent action is not taken, some airlines may find it financially impossible to commence operations from Nigeria or sustain return operations from Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Gamawa noted that while direct government subsidies for Hajj operations have been withdrawn, stakeholders are now calling for emergency interventions such as pricing stabilisation measures, foreign exchange support, or strategic fuel supply arrangements.
He further warned that without swift action, Hajj fares could increase significantly, or in a worst-case scenario, the airlift exercise could face serious disruption.
According to him, Jet A1 prices in Nigeria have risen from about ₦1,000 per litre at the time contracts were signed to as high as ₦3,000 per litre across major departure cities—representing a 200 per cent increase. In Saudi Arabia, prices have also climbed from about $0.68 to $1.40 per litre.
This, he said, has created a dual cost burden for airlines operating both outbound and return flights.
Gamawa added that a single aircraft typically consumes about 70,000 litres of Jet A1 per trip, meaning fuel costs have jumped from roughly ₦70 million per flight to as high as ₦175 million under current market conditions.
