A fresh call for urgent intervention has been made to President Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s aviation sector battles a deepening JetA1 fuel crisis, with stakeholders warning that the industry may be heading towards a systemic breakdown if immediate reforms are not implemented.
The Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative, a prominent industry think tank, has urged the Federal Government to overhaul the aviation charges regime, describing the current framework as unsustainable in the face of surging fuel prices.
In a letter dated 27 April 2026, and addressed to the Presidency, the National Assembly and the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the group called for a comprehensive response, including a targeted financial rescue package for domestic airlines.
The correspondence, jointly signed by ASRTI President Ademola Onitiju and General Secretary, Olumide Ohunayo, warned that the aviation industry is now grappling with what it described as a “systemic emergency”, largely triggered by the spike in aviation fuel prices.
ASRTI noted that the cost of JetA1 has risen sharply within a short period, worsening the financial strain on operators and exposing deeper structural imbalances in the sector.
“This is not just a global price problem. It is a widening local spread that must be confronted with urgency and precision,” the group stated.
Providing context, the group noted that domestic aviation fuel prices climbed from about N900 per litre in late February to as high as N3,300 per litre by mid-April, a spike it argued is inconsistent with global pricing trends.
“This sharp rise is not entirely driven by global market forces but by widening disparities between international refinery-gate benchmarks and local depot prices,” the letter added.
Using a representative international benchmark of 184.63 per barrel in mid−April, equivalent to about 184.63 per barrel in mid−April, equivalent to about 1.161 per litre. The group estimated a parity price of roughly N1,559 per litre at an exchange rate of N1,342 to the dollar, noting that current domestic prices are nearly double that figure.
ASRTI warned that the consequences of the imbalance are already spreading across the aviation value chain, heightening tensions among service providers and operators.
“Already, we are seeing a ripple effect across the sector, with other stakeholders seeking similar reliefs, while critical service providers are under pressure due to mounting obligations,” it stated.
The group stressed that airlines must remain the focal point of any intervention strategy, warning that the failure of operators would trigger a wider collapse.
“If airlines fail, the entire aviation ecosystem will crumble, eliminating revenue streams for agencies, service providers and thousands of workers who depend on the sector,” the group cautioned.
ASRTI, therefore, urged the Federal Government to act swiftly to stabilise the sector, warning that delays could further deepen the crisis and disrupt air travel nationwide.
