The Federal Government has moved to address Nigeria’s worsening aviation fuel crisis by asking fuel marketers to grant airline operators a 30-day credit facility and sell jet fuel directly to them.
The intervention followed high-level meetings coordinated by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), involving the Ministries of Aviation and Petroleum Resources, aviation agencies, airlines, and fuel marketers.
Stakeholders also proposed a new indicative pricing band for aviation fuel, placing rates between ₦1,760 and ₦1,988 per litre in Lagos, and ₦1,809 to ₦2,037 per litre in Abuja, based on current global oil prices and domestic costs.
They warned that prices may rise further due to volatility linked to the ongoing U.S.–Iran conflict and changing operational expenses.
To improve efficiency, regulators were urged to reduce the number of airport fuel distributors to only companies with verifiable infrastructure and capacity.
The committee also recommended that Aviation Turbine Kerosene be included in the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude initiative to reduce foreign exchange pressure and stabilise supply.
Meanwhile, domestic airlines say the crisis is becoming unsustainable. Operators disclosed that over ₦7 million is now required to fuel a single domestic flight.
Ibom Air said the cost of fueling one flight has jumped from about ₦2.1 million in January to ₦7.6 million, describing the situation as unprecedented.
The airline warned that if conditions persist, airlines may be forced to reduce capacity or scale back operations to survive.
The crisis comes as airlines also face more than ₦9 billion in debts owed to ground handling companies, raising fears of flight disruptions if unresolved.
