In response to high demand from European market, Nigeria has shipped no fewer than 490.6 million litres (392,500 tonnes) of Jet A1 worth N743 billion ($550 million) this month as price soared to 1,400/tonne. The cargo was ferried by 11 vessels in the first three weeks of the month to various destination from Dangote jetty in Lagos.

This was despite increase by 109 per cent from $670/ tonne in mid-February to $1,400/tonne in May 2026 as Iran war escalates in the Middle East. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)’s shipping data explained that Hudson loaded 28,500 tonnes; STI Magnetic, 40,000 tonnes; Navig8 Express, 44,000 tonnes; Mont Blanc1, 38 000 tonnes; and Silver Heritage, 44,000 tonnes.

Others are High Navigator with 33,500 tonnes; Atlantic Sunflower, 31,000 tonnes; Gousea, 40,000 tonnes; Hafnia Shanghai, 60,000 tonnes and High Navigation, 33,500 tonnes. It was revealed that between March and mid-April, 884,400 tonnes (1.1 billion litres) of the consignment were ferried out to Europe alone.

Also, it was learnt that Hudson with 28,000 tonnes is en route to Mangole Port, Indonesia, while Navig8 Express is en route to the port of East London, South Africa. Also, Atlantic Sunflower is heading to the Gibraltar to offload its cargo as High Navigation is positioned to load and discharge the products at Port of Sines, Portugal.

In April, the NPA’s shipping data revealed that Cepolis loaded 43,100 tonnes; St Amrah, 40,000 tonnes; Torm Strength, 44,000 tonnes; Tom Grace, 44,000 tonnes and Doric, 40,000 tonnes. Findings revealed that Cepolis let the lagos jetty on For Order to Europe as St Amrah and Tom Grace sailed to Lome Port, Togo.

Also, Torm Strength and Doric discharged their product at Port of Las Palmas and Port of Algeciras, Spain respectively. Meanwhile, Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has reduced the price of Jet A1 by 6 per cent from N1,750 to N1,650 per litre, in a move aimed at easing cost pressures on airlines and stabilising the aviation sector.

The company explained that the price adjustment was part of broader interventions to support operators struggling with rising operational expenses in the industry, where fuel remains a major cost driver, adding that it has introduced a 30- day interest-free credit facility for marketers and airline operators, backed by bank guarantees, alongside a shift from dollar-based pricing to a naira denominated structure.

According to the company, “this is in addition to a 30-day interest-free credit facility backed by bank guarantees (BG) for marketers and airline operators and a shift from a dollar-denominated pricing structure to a naira-based model.”

Recall that the Airlines Operators of Nigeria (AON) has described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals as a critical pillar of support for Nigeria’s aviation industry, disclosing that the refinery supplies over 95 per cent of the Jet A1 fuel consumed nationwide.