Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), the umbrella body of indigenous carriers have accused major oil marketers of manipulating the price ofJet A1 supply in the country.

The airlines have however requested for appropriate pricing of the product locally and threatened to down tools by Monday, April 20, 2026 if the current situation was not addressed.

These were contained in a letter, dated April 14, signed by the President of AON, Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina and obtained by The Guardian.

The AON also copied President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo and the Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA), Chris Najomo and the Director-General, Department of State Services, Adeola Ajayi.

AON in a letter with the head: ‘Re: Urgent Call for Proportionate Review of Jet A1 Price,’ and addressed to the Executive Secretary/Executive Officer, Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, observed that the price of Jet A1 had increased by over 300 per cent from N900 to N3,300 per litre between February 28 and April.

The operators described the astronomical increase as artificial, stressing that it did not commensurate with the increase in the price of crude oil globally.

The operators insisted that the current rate was over and above the international market rate of 30 per cent increase in the cost of the product.

A barrel of crude oil was selling at less than $70 as of early February and the product is sold at about $100 per barrel in the international market today.

The letter added: “For the past four weeks, airlines have been enduring this heavy burden and struggling to continue operations out of patriotism and in the spirit of service to the nation. However, it is becoming unbearable and definitely unsustainable.

“Today, all the revenue made by airlines do not cover the cost of fuel, which is a single cost component among myriad of other costs airlines have to deal with daily; and the situation is getting worse.

“The actions of fuel marketers are effectively decimating the aviation industry and putting the country’s economy, safety, and security at risk as airlines are gradually being forced to suspend operations.”

The airlines lamented that the “arbitrary increase” was seriously impacting their operations, stressing that one of the operators was compelled to ground its entire operations since March 13, 2026.

The body maintained that this was an inevitable consequence for other operators if the current situation continued.

“Aviation is a sector of strategic importance to the nation and the arbitrary rise in jet fuel price is unhealthy and inimical to the wellbeing of our nation.

“The airlines are now facing existential threats with the grave attendant consequences to the overall wellbeing of the nation. This is our final plea,” the letter added.