Figures cited by **The Sun** show that the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) are locked in a heated dispute with fuel marketers over the skyrocketing price of Jet A1 fuel. The AON claims that marketers are engaging in “artificial scarcity and price manipulation,” with some operators allegedly being charged as much as N3,300 per litre—a figure marketers have dismissed as exaggerated.
Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, the AON spokesperson, warned that if the situation is not resolved by the end of the weekend, several domestic airlines may be forced to ground their fleets by Monday. In contrast, the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) insists that cheaper fuel is available and that recent price hikes are purely a result of supply chain disruptions caused by Middle East tensions.
**Channels TV** reported that the “AON is at its last breath,” while **Daily Post** noted that “marketers have denied claims of manipulation, citing global logistics costs.”
**Echotitbits take:** A shutdown of domestic flights would paralyze business travel and further strain the economy. This is a classic “he-said-she-said” situation, but the government likely needs to step in as a mediator before the “Monday deadline” grounded flights.
Source: Arise – https://www.arise.tv/jet-fuel-talks-deadlocked-as-airlines-warn-of-shutdown-within-seven-days/, April 24, 2026
Photo credit: Arise
