By Adedapo Adesanya

President Bola Tinubu has agreed in principle ​to write off part of domestic ‌airlines’ debts to aviation agencies following successful talks with the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).

The group demanded a total waiver of debts owed to aviation agencies to cushion the effect of a 300 per cent increase in aviation fuel prices during a crucial high-level meeting with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo and other critical stakeholders in Abuja on Wednesday.

Recall that the airlines had called off their impending strike due to commence on Monday over the rising cost of operations, particularly for fuel, triggered by the current Middle East crisis.

Mr Keyamo said President Tinubu asked for ⁠a formal request to be submitted ​immediately, with the percentage of the write‑off ​to be determined by him.

Also, the federal government will set up a committee to ​review taxes, levies and fees charged ​on domestic air tickets, to recommend cuts to ease ‌pressure ⁠on airlines and passengers.

Speaking at the meeting, the chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, who spoke on behalf of airline operators, said airlines were “bleeding” financially due to the disproportionate hike in fuel costs, which he said had risen by about 300 per cent compared to global crude oil price movements.

According to him, “We are asking for a total waiver of all debts owed to aviation agencies. The airlines are under severe strain and cannot continue to borrow just to pay for fuel while neglecting critical obligations like maintenance.”

He explained that the threat to suspend operations was not a bargaining tactic but a reflection of the dire financial realities facing operators.

According to him, airlines had reached a breaking point where continued operations would compromise safety and sustainability.

Mr Onyema also called for urgent reforms in access to financing, noting that high interest rates—often above 30 per cent in Nigeria—were crippling airline operations, compared to single-digit rates obtainable globally.

On his part, Minister Keyamo confirmed that the federal government had stepped in swiftly to prevent disruption to air travel, following the operators’ warning.

He said that he had briefed President Bola Tinubu ahead of the meeting and secured presidential backing for immediate intervention.

Mr Keyamo said the president had directed that the formal requests from the airlines be submitted urgently, particularly regarding debt relief.

Meanwhile, the permanent secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Mrs Patience Oyekunle, said engagements with fuel marketers would continue, with a follow-up meeting scheduled to address pricing concerns and seek clarity on the steep increase.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigerian airline operators will meet with the federal government on Wednesday after they temporarily suspended a planned nationwide shutdown of flight operations over crippling jet fuel prices.

The halt in the planned strike came after the federal government appealed to the airliners, pending the talks scheduled for tomorrow.

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), which is an industry body composed of a dozen mainly domestic carriers, had earlier threatened to halt services from Monday, April 20, saying surging jet fuel costs had ⁠made operations unsustainable.

AON said it agreed to pause the action following an appeal from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, who called for restraint and dialogue.

“Rising from an emergency meeting held this evening, the Airline Operators of Nigeria has reached a concessionary but conditional decision to temporarily suspend its earlier planned shutdown action,” AON said in a statement.

The body said the suspension was conditional pending the outcome ‌of ⁠a meeting for all concerned parties scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, convened by the minister.

As part of their conditions, the airlines urged government agencies and service providers to keep services running and to stop demanding ⁠upfront payments, which they said were adding to their financial strain.

The US-Israel war on Iran has led to rising jet fuel prices, which have equally affected the global aviation industry. The development has ⁠forced airlines to raise fares and curb growth plans.

At the centre of the crisis is the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supply flows. With shipping constrained, the effects are cascading across the global economy, raising fuel costs, fueling inflation, and increasing the risk of economic slowdown across many economies.

Nigerian airlines say the jet fuel price surge has been worsened ⁠by supply constraints and foreign exchange pressures, significantly increasing operating costs.

Last week, the organisation said it wrote to the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) on April 14, complaining that jet fuel prices had risen by about 270 per cent since late February, and accused the country’s fuel marketers of artificially inflating the cost.

Oil prices have dropped below $100 after surging above $115 per barrel as markets react to escalating tensions and the risk of prolonged disruption.

AON called the jet fuel increase in Nigeria “astronomical and artificial,” saying it far outpaced global crude oil prices.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government has appealed to domestic airlines under the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to refrain from increasing air ticket prices or embarking on the planned suspension of operations.

Recall that yesterday, the airlines said they would halt operations from April 20 following a sharp rise in the cost of aviation fuel, known as Jet A1, by 300 per cent.

In a letter dated Thursday, April 16, 2026, addressed to the President of AON, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, urged the operators to exercise restraint despite mounting operational pressures.

The appeal came amid threats by airline operators, in an earlier correspondence to the federal government, to halt flight operations from next Monday over what they described as an unsustainable increase in aviation fuel prices.

Mr Keyamo, who acknowledged the severity of the situation, especially with the price of Jet A1 surging dramatically within a short period, however, called for calm.

“I write in reference to your correspondence dated April 14, 2026, concerning the operational challenges currently confronting your member airlines, especially the sudden hike in Jet A1 fuel from N900 per litre as at February 28, 2026, to N3,300 per litre as at today, representing a three hundred per cent (300%) increase,” he said.

The minister commended airline operators for maintaining services despite the challenges, describing their efforts as critical to the nation’s economy.

He reiterated the strategic importance of the aviation sector to the administration of President Bola Tinubu, stressing its role in national development, and made a direct appeal to operators to avoid passing the burden to passengers.

“First, I urge your members to exercise restraint with respect to any proposed increase in airfares at this time. While the prevailing cost pressures on your operations are fully acknowledged, any immediate upward adjustment in ticket prices would impose significant hardship on the travelling public,” he said.

He also warned against suspending operations, noting the broader implications for the economy and public confidence.

“Secondly, I appeal for the reconsideration of any planned suspension of flight operations. Such action would have far-reaching adverse implications for the national economy, disrupt critical mobility and logistics networks, erode public confidence, and undermine the progress recorded under the ongoing reforms within the aviation sector,” he added.

Mr Keyamo assured operators that the federal government was actively working to address the crisis.

“I wish to formally assure you that the concerns raised by your members have received the full attention of the Federal Government and we shall take immediate steps to address the issues,” he said.

As part of efforts to resolve the impasse, the minister disclosed that an emergency meeting had been convened.

“Accordingly, a high-level emergency stakeholders’ meeting has been scheduled to be held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in Abuja, bringing together all relevant stakeholders and regulatory authorities with a view to achieving a prompt, practical, and sustainable resolution,” he said.

The development came as Nigeria’s aviation sector grapples with rising operational costs, with fuel accounting for a significant portion of airline expenses. Industry stakeholders warned that without urgent intervention, the situation could lead to widespread disruptions in domestic air travel.