The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has appealed to domestic airline operators to reconsider their planned suspension of flight operations over the rising cost of aviation fuel, also known as Jet A1.
The appeal comes after the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) warned that all domestic carriers may shut down operations from April 20 due to the sharp increase in fuel prices.
The association said the cost of Jet A1 had surged from about ₦900 per litre on February 28 to approximately ₦3,300 per litre, representing an increase of over 300 percent.
According to the operators, the rising cost has made it increasingly difficult to sustain flight operations, warning that a shutdown could disrupt jobs, financial systems, mobility, and national security.
In a letter addressed to the AON president on Thursday, Keyamo urged the operators to exercise restraint and reconsider any decision to halt operations.
“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,” the minister said.
He also appealed against the planned shutdown of flights, warning that such action would have serious economic and social consequences.
“Secondly, I appeal for the reconsideration of any planned suspension of flight operations. 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,” he added.
Keyamo further disclosed that the federal government had scheduled a high-level emergency stakeholders’ meeting for April 22, 2026, in Abuja to address the crisis.
He said the meeting would bring together relevant stakeholders and regulatory authorities to find a “prompt, practical, and sustainable resolution” to the fuel price dispute.
The minister commended airline operators for their resilience and professionalism despite challenging operating conditions, noting that the aviation sector remains a critical part of the national economy.
He also assured that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is actively pursuing reforms aimed at strengthening domestic airlines and stabilising the sector.