Nigerian domestic airlines are facing renewed operational pressure from the high cost of aviation fuel, with recent flight disruptions at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, leaving passengers stranded as fuel marketers also allege that some carriers are being denied further supplies because of outstanding debts.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026-IDRI-Masterclass.png")
The latest disruption affected passengers travelling with Air Peace to Lagos, Maiduguri and Asaba, some of whom remained at the Abuja airport for several hours after flights were delayed or cancelled.
Passengers scheduled to travel from Abuja to Lagos at about 4 p.m., alongside others booked on earlier services, reportedly remained at the airport until late in the night. While the Lagos-bound passengers eventually departed, some Maiduguri- and Asaba-bound passengers spent the night at the airport, leading to protests by affected travellers.
The incident has brought renewed attention to the state of aviation fuel supply and pricing in the country, with airlines, fuel marketers and industry officials offering different explanations for the immediate cause of the disruption.
A source at the Abuja airport said information received from workers suggested that the problem was fuel-related, although the source maintained that the airline was in the best position to explain the specific circumstances.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority subsequently confirmed that fuel-related problems prevented Air Peace from operating some of the affected flights.
NCAA spokesperson Michael Achimugu said reports received from the authority’s Consumer Protection Officers indicated that the airline was unable to operate the affected services because of fuel-related issues.
Achimugu also said the airline had been communicating with passengers as events unfolded, although he did not give details of what caused the fuel problem.
Air Peace later confirmed that the initial disruption to its Abuja operations resulted from the unavailability of Jet A1 aviation fuel, adding that the problem affected other airlines operating from Abuja.
“The initial delays to our Abuja operations were occasioned by the unavailability of Jet A1 aviation fuel,” the airline said.
According to Air Peace, operations resumed after fuel became available.
The airline, however, said its Abuja-Maiduguri service subsequently encountered another difficulty because the Maiduguri airport could no longer receive the flight beyond sunset under the prevailing Visual Flight Rules conditions.
Air Peace said the Maiduguri tower had initially granted an extension for the flight but later informed the airline, around the time boarding was to commence, that operations could no longer continue beyond sunset.
The airline said affected passengers were informed during the disruption and provided with refreshments. It added that Maiduguri-bound passengers affected by the eventual cancellation were given hotel accommodation and arrangements were made to operate the flight the following day.
Air Peace apologised for the inconvenience, saying passenger safety and wellbeing remained its priority.
However, fuel marketers have presented a different dimension to the problem, maintaining that Jet A1 is available in the country but that some airlines are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain supplies because of unpaid obligations and the rising price of the product.
A marketer quoted in the report alleged that some airlines owe fuel suppliers millions of naira and should not expect continued supplies without settling outstanding debts.
The allegation was not directed specifically at Air Peace in the available account, and no documentary evidence establishing the debt position of individual airlines was provided.
Industry sources also pointed to the price of aviation fuel as a major underlying problem.
An airline source said Jet A1 was selling for about N2,130 per litre in Lagos and Abuja, while prices at other airports ranged between approximately N2,180 and N2,230 per litre, depending on location.
The source maintained that aviation fuel was available but said the cost of purchasing it had become a major burden on domestic carriers.
The pressure is particularly significant for Nigerian airlines because their ticket revenues are largely earned in naira, while several major operational expenses — including aircraft maintenance, spare parts, insurance and leasing — are either denominated in foreign currencies or highly sensitive to exchange-rate movements.
The soaring cost of fuel is therefore adding to existing financial pressures within an industry that has repeatedly warned that its operating model is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.
Industry figures had already raised similar concerns earlier in 2026. In April, President Bola Tinubu approved a 30 per cent relief on debts owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies and directed discussions involving airlines, fuel marketers and regulators aimed at reaching a more sustainable aviation fuel pricing framework.
Domestic airlines had at the time warned that steep increases in Jet A1 prices threatened their operations.
By August, the Airline Operators of Nigeria said domestic carriers had accumulated more than N60 billion in bank loans to finance aviation fuel purchases, illustrating the scale of the financial pressure confronting operators.
Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Ado Sanusi, has also disputed suggestions that Nigeria is experiencing a general aviation fuel scarcity.
Sanusi said the emergence of the Dangote Refinery had improved domestic availability of the product and argued that the fundamental problem was its high price rather than a nationwide absence of supply.
“I am not aware of the scarcity of aviation fuel in Nigeria,” he said, adding that Jet A1 currently costs about N2,000 per litre in Lagos and roughly N100 more outside the city.
He nevertheless acknowledged that such prices posed a serious challenge to airline operators.
Sanusi also distanced Aero Contractors from allegations that some carriers owe fuel marketers, saying his airline settles its fuel bills once they are presented.
“I can’t comment on any other airline’s debts,” he said, while insisting that Aero Contractors was not indebted to fuel suppliers.
The differing accounts therefore point to a combination of challenges confronting the domestic aviation sector: high Jet A1 prices, the cash-flow position of individual airlines, the willingness of marketers to extend supplies on credit and operational limitations at some airports.
The latest Abuja disruption also comes amid heightened regulatory attention to delays and cancellations. Earlier in September, NCAA Director-General Chris Najomo warned airlines about persistent flight delays, crew shortages and consumer-protection infractions, urging operators to align published schedules with available aircraft and personnel.
For passengers, the immediate consequence has been repeated uncertainty, prolonged airport waiting times and, in some cases, overnight stays when flights cannot operate.
For airlines, the broader concern remains whether fares and other revenues can keep pace with fuel prices and other operating expenses without making domestic air travel increasingly unaffordable.
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation
______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
