The Federal Authorities has appealed to home airways to droop plans to halt flight operations and rethink any improve in airfares following the sharp rise within the value of Jet A1 gas.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Growth, Festus Keyamo, made the attraction in a letter addressed to the Airline Operators of Nigeria on Thursday. The transfer comes amid rising issues over threats by airways to droop operations subsequent week because of the rising value of aviation gas.
Within the letter, the minister acknowledged, “I write in reference to your correspondence dated April 14, 2026, in regards to the operational challenges at the moment confronting your member airways, particularly the sudden hike in Jet A1 gas from N900 per litre as at February 28, 2026, to N3,300 per litre as at right this moment, representing a 300 oer cent improve.”
He recommended the resilience of airline operators regardless of the difficult working surroundings. The letter learn, “On the outset, I want to commend the resilience, professionalism, and steadfast dedication of your members in sustaining air transport companies underneath evidently tough situations.”
Reaffirming the Federal Authorities’s dedication to the aviation sector underneath President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the minister emphasised the strategic significance of the business.
He stated, “Let me reiterate that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu accords the aviation sector the best strategic significance. According to the provisions of the Civil Aviation Act, 2022, the sector stays a crucial nationwide asset important to commerce facilitation, nationwide safety, employment era, and total {economic} integration.”
“Additionally, you will acknowledge that the Authorities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has initiated unprecedented reforms within the sector geared toward supporting the expansion and sustenance of the companies of native operators.”
Keyamo urged the airways to train restraint in adjusting ticket costs regardless of mounting operational prices.
He acknowledged, “First, I urge your members to train restraint with respect to any proposed improve in airfares presently. Whereas the prevailing value pressures in your operations are absolutely acknowledged, any fast upward adjustment in ticket costs would impose vital hardship on the travelling public, doubtlessly depress demand, and restrict accessibility to air transport for a broad section of Nigerians.”
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The minister additionally appealed to operators to rethink any plans to droop flights, warning of wider {economic} penalties.
He added, “Secondly, I attraction for the reconsideration of any deliberate suspension of flight operations. Such motion would have far-reaching hostile implications for the nationwide financial system, disrupt crucial mobility and logistics networks, erode public confidence, and undermine the progress recorded underneath the continued reforms throughout the aviation sector.”
He assured stakeholders that the Federal Authorities was already taking steps to deal with the state of affairs. In keeping with him, “I want to formally guarantee you that the issues raised by your members have obtained the complete consideration of the Federal Authorities and we will take fast steps to deal with the problems.”
The minister additional disclosed that an emergency stakeholders’ assembly had been convened to discover a lasting answer.
He stated, “Accordingly, a high-level emergency stakeholders’ assembly has been scheduled to be held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in Abuja, bringing collectively all related stakeholders and regulatory authorities with a view to reaching a immediate, sensible, and sustainable decision. The venue and time will probably be communicated in the end.”
Airways have not too long ago raised issues over the hovering value of Jet A1 gas, warning that the state of affairs may pressure them to droop operations if pressing intervention is just not offered.
The event follows earlier warnings by the Airline Operators of Nigeria that home carriers could also be compelled to close down operations from April 20 if the rising value of aviation gas is just not urgently addressed. In a letter dated April 14, 2026, the operators stated the worth of Jet A1 had surged from N900 per litre as at February 28 to N3,300 per litre, representing a rise of over 300 per cent, which they described as “astronomical and synthetic.”
The operators famous that airways had continued to function for weeks regardless of mounting losses, stressing that the state of affairs had change into unsustainable as revenues may now not cowl even the price of gas alone. They warned that the development posed an existential threat to the aviation business and will pressure a number of airways to droop operations if no intervention is made.
They additional cautioned {that a} shutdown of flight operations would have far-reaching penalties on the financial system, together with job losses, disruption to {financial} establishments, and elevated insecurity, whereas additionally noting that any try to go the price to passengers by means of greater fares may considerably scale back demand for air journey.
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