Nigeria's government has set indicative price ranges for jet fuel and allowed airlines to buy supplies on credit to prevent flight disruptions, after carriers warned that fuel costs had risen by more than 270%, Reuters reported citing a government document.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said aviation fuel should sell for NGN1,760-1,988 naira (USD1.28-1.44) per litre in Lagos and NGN1,809-2,037 (USD1.30-1.48) per litre in Abuja, based on benchmarks from April 17-23, 2026. It warned that prices could still rise because of market volatility linked to the Middle East conflict and higher supplier costs.
The measures follow earlier emergency talks after the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) warned of a nationwide shutdown over the rise in Jet A1 prices. As ch-aviation reported, the AON said fuel prices had jumped from about NGN900 (USD0.65) per litre on February 28 to NGN3,300 (USD2.40) on April 16.
President Bola Tinubu approved 30% relief on airlines' outstanding obligations to aviation agencies and directed fuel marketers, airlines, and regulators to agree on a "fair" fuel price to prevent a sector-wide shutdown. Aviation minister Festus Keyamo had earlier said Tinubu had agreed in principle to partially write off liabilities owed by domestic carriers.
The talks also agreed to give airlines a 30-day credit window to pay for fuel and tasked the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development with mediating debt disputes between operators and oil marketers. A technical committee convened by NMDPRA recommended that fuel marketers sell directly to airlines within the indicated price range to reduce costs and improve supply-chain transparency.
The committee also called for engagement with Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals regarding higher premiums applied to international jet fuel benchmarks. It further proposed stricter validation of airside fuel distributors, which could reduce the number of approved suppliers, and suggested including jet fuel in Nigeria's naira-for-crude scheme to reduce airlines' foreign exchange exposure.
Air Peace, MaxAir (Nigeria), and Overland Airways are among the largest scheduled carriers in the country by aircraft in operation, according to ch-aviation data, and are among 40 full-time members of the AON, based on the association's website.
