Domestic airlines in Nigeria have issued a final warning to suspend all flight operations effective Monday, April 20, 2026, citing a “crippling and artificial” surge in aviation fuel prices.
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) announced this in a notice to President Bola Tinubu. They claim the sector is no longer commercially viable under current market conditions.
Fuel prices skyrocketed from ₦900 per liter in February to over ₦3,300 per liter by mid-April. This represents a massive 300% increase in less than two months.
AON President Abdulmunaf Sarina called the hike “arbitrary.” He noted that while global crude prices rose 30%, local marketers increased jet fuel rates at ten times that speed.
The group alleged marketers are “artificially inflating” prices. Fuel now accounts for over 40% of operational expenses, creating an existential threat to all domestic carriers.
Financial strain already forced one airline to ground its fleet in March. Operators say they can no longer sustain flights without risking total business collapse or passenger safety.
The Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) denied price gouging. They instead blamed geopolitical supply chain disruptions for the sudden and steep rise in costs.
AON maintains that without immediate government intervention to stabilize the market by April 20, the nation’s domestic airspace will face a total and indefinite shutdown.
