Airline Operators of Nigeria step back from April 20 flight suspension as talks are scheduled with the aviation minister over soaring aviation fuel costs and industry pressures…..
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has suspended its earlier decision to ground flight operations nationwide, following urgent intervention by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
The planned shutdown, which was initially set to begin on April 20, was withdrawn after the association held an emergency meeting on Friday night to review a formal appeal from the minister urging restraint.
Earlier in the week, domestic airlines had announced plans to suspend operations, citing an unsustainable surge in the cost of aviation fuel, also known as Jet A1. Operators claimed the price had jumped from about ₦900 per litre in February to as high as ₦3,300 per litre, a rise they described as crippling for the industry.
However, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) disputed those figures, stating that its nationwide market checks placed current Jet A1 prices between ₦1,960 and ₦2,800 per litre.
Following the escalating tension, Keyamo stepped in, appealing directly to the airline operators to reconsider their position. In response, AON convened an emergency session of its executive council and board of trustees, where members resolved to temporarily halt the planned shutdown.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the association said the decision was influenced by the minister’s assurances that the Federal Government was already reviewing the concerns raised by operators, particularly the sharp and inconsistent rise in aviation fuel prices.
The airlines noted that Keyamo had acknowledged the challenges facing the sector and appealed for calm, stressing that efforts were underway to address the underlying issues affecting aviation operations in the country.
He also assured that the concerns of operators had received top-level attention from government and that immediate steps would be taken to ease the pressure on the industry.
As part of the agreement, AON confirmed that a high-level meeting with the minister has been scheduled for April 22, where both parties are expected to engage directly on possible solutions to the crisis.
The association added that the outcome of that meeting would determine its next course of action, including whether further operational decisions might be reconsidered.
AON also used the opportunity to urge government agencies and service providers in the aviation sector to maintain uninterrupted support for airlines, while discouraging what it described as undue operational pressures, including demands for upfront payments.
While the shutdown has been called off for now, industry stakeholders say the situation remains delicate, with the upcoming talks seen as critical to preventing further disruption in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
