The Airline Operators of Nigeria has warned that domestic airlines may suspend operations from April 20 over the sharp rise in aviation fuel prices. The warning was issued by the President of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, in a notice dated April 14 and addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong.
The notice was also copied to President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, alongside the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and the Department of State Services. The association said the cost of Jet A1 fuel has surged from nine hundred naira per litre at the end of February to three thousand three hundred naira per litre, representing an increase of over three hundred percent.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria described the increase as excessive and not aligned with global crude oil trends, noting that airlines have continued operations in recent weeks despite mounting losses. The association said current revenues are no longer sufficient to cover fuel costs, warning that the situation has become unsustainable for operators across the country.
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The group added that the rising fuel cost is already affecting operations, with one airline reportedly suspending services since March 13. Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina warned that more airlines may follow if urgent action is not taken, stressing that a shutdown would have serious consequences for jobs, financial institutions, and national security.
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