The Federal Government has appealed to airline operators to exercise restraint in raising airfares and to reconsider any plans to suspend flight operations following a sharp rise in aviation fuel prices.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, made the appeal in a letter to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), citing the impact of the surge in the price of Jet A1 fuel on the sector.
According to the minister, the cost of Jet A1 has risen from ₦900 per litre as of February 28, 2026, to about ₦3,300 per litre, representing a 300 per cent increase.
“I write in reference to your correspondence dated April 14, 2026, concerning the operational challenges currently confronting your member airlines, especially the sudden hike in Jet A1 fuel, representing a three hundred percent (300%) increase,” he stated.
Despite the pressure on operators, Keyamo urged caution in passing the burden to passengers, warning of wider economic consequences.
“First, I urge your members to exercise restraint with respect to any proposed increase in airfares at this time,” he said.
“While the prevailing cost pressures on your operations are fully acknowledged, any immediate upward adjustment in ticket prices would impose significant hardship on the travelling public, potentially depress demand, and limit accessibility to air transport for a broad segment of Nigerians,” he added.
He also appealed to airlines to avoid suspending operations, noting that such a move could disrupt the economy and weaken confidence in the aviation sector.
“Secondly, I appeal for the reconsideration of any planned suspension of flight operations,” the minister said.
“Such action would have far-reaching adverse implications for the national economy, disrupt critical mobility and logistics networks, erode public confidence, and undermine the progress recorded under the ongoing reforms within the aviation sector.”
Keyamo assured operators that the Federal Government was already engaging the situation and would take steps to address their concerns.
“I wish to formally assure you that the concerns raised by your members have received the full attention of the Federal Government and we shall take immediate steps to address the issues,” he added.
He reiterated the strategic importance of the aviation sector to the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing it as a critical national asset for trade, security, job creation and economic integration.
To find a lasting solution, the minister disclosed that a high-level emergency stakeholders’ meeting has been scheduled for April 22 in Abuja.
According to him, the meeting will bring together key industry players and regulators to work out “a prompt, practical, and sustainable resolution” to the challenges facing the sector.