NMDPRA Fixes Aviation Fuel Price Band At ₦1,960–₦2,800 As Airlines Threaten Shutdown

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has fixed the price range of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK), also known as Jet A1, at between ₦1,960 and ₦2,800 per litre amid growing fears of a shutdown in domestic flight operations.

The move follows a sharp rise in aviation fuel prices that has significantly increased airlines’ operating costs, forcing operators to cut flight frequencies and threaten a total suspension of services if urgent action is not taken.

In a statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs, George Ene-Ita, the NMDPRA said its nationwide retail survey conducted as of April 17, 2026, showed that aviation fuel was selling within the approved range, dismissing reports that prices had climbed to ₦3,300 per litre.

According to the authority, the widely circulated ₦3,300 per litre claim does not reflect the current market reality.

Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), however, have maintained strong concerns over the rising cost of Jet A1, warning that operations may become unsustainable if supply challenges and pricing pressures persist.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had earlier intervened in the crisis, but operators insist that stronger measures are urgently needed.

Industry figures show that the cost of fuelling aircraft has risen dramatically in recent months. For instance, fuelling a Bombardier CRJ 900 or Airbus A220 aircraft, which cost about ₦2.1 million per flight in January, has surged to approximately ₦7.6 million by April 26—a 350 per cent increase.

Vice President of AON, Allen Onyema, linked the spike partly to global tensions, including the US-Iran crisis, but argued that local fuel prices remain far higher than international trends justify.

He warned that if no urgent solution is provided, domestic airlines may be forced to halt operations within days—not out of choice, but because fuel may no longer be available at sustainable prices.

To address the crisis, NMDPRA said it has directed marketers to sell aviation fuel directly to airlines in order to eliminate middlemen, improve transparency, and ease supply constraints.

The authority also pledged to continue monitoring supply levels and enforce regulatory measures to prevent profiteering and disruptions in the aviation fuel supply chain.

Ibom Air has also raised alarm over the situation, revealing that it may reduce flight frequencies as the cost of operations becomes financially unbearable.

The airline described the pricing regime as an “unprecedented crisis,” noting that despite the Dangote Refinery reportedly supplying over 95 per cent of Nigeria’s Jet A1 fuel, domestic prices remain significantly above global benchmarks.

Ibom Air said it can no longer sustain normal operations under the current conditions and may be left with no option but to reduce capacity in the coming days.