The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has denied reports that Jet A1 fuel, used by airlines, sells at N3,300 per litre.
A statement by NMPRA’s Director, Public Affairs Department, George Ene-Ita, said a survey carried out on April 17 showed the price of the commodity is between N1,960 and N2,800 per litre.
Daily Trust reports that Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had warned that airlines across the country may suspend operations from Monday, April 20, 2026, over what it described as an “astronomical and unsustainable” rise in the price of Jet A1 fuel.
In a letter dated April 14, 2026, and addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, MEMAN, Mr. Clement Isong, AON said the cost of aviation fuel had surged from N900 per litre as of February 28 to N3,300 per litre, an increase of over 300 percent within weeks.
According to the body, the spike is “artificial” and far exceeds global trends, noting that international crude oil prices have risen by only about 30 percent within the same period.
The operators said airlines had continued to absorb the rising costs for over four weeks out of “patriotism and in the spirit of service to the nation,” but they warned that the burden is no longer manageable.
“Airline revenues are insufficient to cover the cost of fuel alone,” the letter said, adding that the situation has deteriorated to the point where continued operations are no longer viable.
The group warned that the actions of fuel marketers are “decimating the aviation industry” and pose broader risks to Nigeria’s economy, safety, and national security.
But the NMDPRA assured the public that there is robust supply of Aviation Fuel in the country with the inland stock sufficiency of 12 days, and the Refinery stock Sufficiency of 62 days, “making a total of 74 days of national sufficiency”.
“It is imperative to note that like other petroleum products, Aviation Fuel has been fully deregulated, and the price is driven by market dynamics. The prevailing Ex-Gantry price of Aviation Fuel at Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemical Company (DPRP) is N1,879 per litre, which is slightly lower than the international indicative supply cost of N1,900 per litre in Lagos as of the 16th of April 2026.”
“Meanwhile, the nationwide retail prices surveyed by the NMDPRA as of 17th April 2026 range between N1,960 per litre to N2,800 per litre. Therefore, the speculated N3,300 per litre price of Aviation Fuel being peddled in the media does not reflect current market reality.
“The NMDPRA, in line with its mandate, will continue to closely monitor the supply situation and take appropriate regulatory measures to prevent disruption of supply of petroleum products and profiteering across the country.”