Goli Innocent
Lagos — Nigeria’s House of Representatives has stepped into the deepening crisis in the aviation sector, urging the Federal Government to take urgent action to rein in the rising cost of aviation fuel, as domestic airlines struggle to stay afloat.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved during plenary by Paschal Agbodike, who warned that the steady climb in Aviation Turbine Kerosene (Jet A1) prices is pushing operators to the brink. Lawmakers said jet fuel now accounts for between 40 and 60 per cent of airlines’ operating costs, leaving little room to absorb shocks in an already fragile market.
Presiding over the session, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu backed the motion, which received unanimous support from members concerned about the ripple effects on jobs, connectivity and economic activity.
On the floor, lawmakers painted a stark picture of an industry under pressure. Several airlines have begun cutting flight frequencies, while others are grounding aircraft altogether as fuel costs spike. The situation, they noted, is further worsened by foreign exchange constraints, which continue to limit access to aircraft parts, maintenance services and lease obligations.
The House warned that if the current trend persists, Nigeria risks a wave of airline shutdowns, with serious implications for regional connectivity and investor confidence in the aviation sector. Lawmakers stressed that the volatility in Jet A1 pricing is no longer a routine market issue but a structural threat to the industry’s survival.
In response, the House directed the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to establish a price stabilisation framework that will deliver predictable and sustainable pricing for aviation fuel.
It also mandated its Committees on Aviation, Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Finance to investigate the persistent rise in aviation fuel prices and report back within two weeks, signalling a push for accountability across the supply chain.
Lawmakers further called on the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to present an emergency intervention plan within the same timeframe, outlining concrete steps to ease cost pressures on operators.
In addition, the House urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to prioritise foreign exchange allocation to airlines, particularly for maintenance and critical procurement, as operators continue to grapple with dollar-denominated expenses.
Industry data shows that Jet A1 prices in Nigeria have, at different periods, surged beyond ₦1,200 per litre, driven by global crude oil price swings, limited domestic refining capacity and deregulation in the downstream sector. For airlines, the consequences have been immediate higher fares, reduced routes and shrinking capacity.
The message from lawmakers was direct: without swift intervention, the rising cost of Jet A1 could ground not just aircraft, but the wider ambitions of Nigeria’s aviation industry.
This article was originally posted at sweetcrudereports.com
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