Nigeria’s domestic airlines may increase ticket fares in the coming days as operators struggle with soaring Jet A1 fuel prices, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said.
Speaking after a closed-door meeting with aviation stakeholders that lasted over four hours, Keyamo warned that airlines could be forced to adjust fares within the next seven days to remain operational and avert a shutdown.
“Airlines cannot continue to operate for the next seven days without raising prices, so let that be clear to the public; they have been stretched to their limit,” the minister said.
He added that government and industry stakeholders would spend the next 48 to 72 hours working on fair pricing arrangements for Jet A1 fuel, amid concerns over alleged exploitation in the supply chain.
On behalf of operators, Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, warned that unless urgent intervention comes within 48 hours, domestic airlines could suspend operations for up to seven days.
“The minister called for a meeting for us to meet with the marketers face-to-face. We have deliberated extensively today; they have also shared their pain point, and we have also shared our own,” Onyema said.
He expressed optimism that the crisis could still be resolved but stressed the urgency of government action.
“No airline in this country will fly in the next seven days if something is not done—not because they don’t want to fly, but because of the pricing, not only for our tickets but the pricing of the fuel products that we need to fly,” he said.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria last week raised alarm over what it described as a 300 per cent increase in Jet A1 prices, from ₦900 per litre three months ago to about ₦3,300 per litre.
The group warned that the surge could force operators to suspend services if urgent intervention is not made.
However, the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria rejected allegations of exploitation, insisting fuel prices reflect market realities driven by global crude prices, foreign exchange volatility and logistics costs.
The marketers maintained there was no deliberate attempt to punish airlines, saying supply chain pressures have significantly impacted pricing.
Government Seeks Common Ground
Responding to the growing crisis, Keyamo said the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to address pricing concerns, ensure fair market practices and prevent disruption in domestic air travel.
He said the objective is for all parties to “sit down and find a common ground” before the situation escalates into a full-blown shutdown.
The talks are expected to continue over the next few days as the industry seeks a resolution to one of the most severe fuel-related crises to hit Nigeria’s aviation sector.
