Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has warned that flight operations could be suspended from 20 April due to a sharp rise in Jet A1 fuel prices, which have surged from below N1,000 per litre to as high as N3,300 in some areas. In a letter dated 14 April addressed to fuel marketers and copied to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, and regulatory agencies, AON cited unsustainable operating costs. AON spokesperson and United Nigeria Airlines Chairman Obiora Okonkwo said airlines had absorbed rising costs for weeks to avoid disruptions but could no longer sustain the financial strain. He stated that aviation fuel is the largest expense for carriers and that inconsistent pricing, supply constraints, and alleged artificial scarcity have worsened the crisis. Okonkwo warned that some airlines may cease operations before the weekend if fuel prices are not stabilised. AON insists urgent intervention is needed to prevent widespread disruption, though it continues to engage stakeholders and government authorities.
Obiora Okonkwo's warning exposes how close Nigeria's aviation industry is to collapse under fuel costs that have tripled in weeks. When airlines can no longer absorb price jumps and must choose between flying or folding, passengers face immediate risks of cancellations and sky-high fares. This isn't speculation — it's what happens when a critical sector is left to navigate volatile pricing without safeguards. The real cost may soon be counted not in naira per litre, but in stranded travellers and grounded planes.
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