By Ayomide Otitoju
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has pegged the retail price of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) in Nigeria at between ₦1,960 and ₦2,800 per litre amid rising fuel costs affecting airline operations.
In a statement, NMDPRA Director of Public Affairs George Ene-Ita said the prices were based on nationwide surveys conducted on April 17, 2026, adding that reports of prices reaching ₦3,300 per litre were inaccurate.
The development comes as airline operators, under the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), continue to scale down flight operations and warn of a possible shutdown if urgent intervention is not taken. The group had earlier issued a seven-day ultimatum over soaring fuel costs.
Industry data shows a sharp increase in aviation fuel expenses, with the cost of fuelling aircraft such as the Bombardier CRJ 900 and Airbus A220 rising from about ₦2.1 million per flight in January to approximately ₦7.6 million in April 2026.
AON Vice President Allen Onyema attributed the spike partly to global geopolitical tensions but said local price increases were disproportionate to international trends, warning that airlines may be forced to suspend operations if conditions persist.
In response, NMDPRA said it has introduced measures to stabilise supply, including directing marketers to sell aviation fuel directly to airlines to reduce intermediaries and improve transparency in the distribution chain.
The regulator also assured that it would continue monitoring the market closely to prevent supply disruptions and price exploitation.
Meanwhile, airline operators, including Ibom Air, have warned that the situation is becoming unsustainable. The airline said the cost of fuelling a single flight has risen by more than 350 per cent, making it difficult to maintain normal operations.
Ibom Air added that it may reduce flight frequency in the coming days if the crisis persists, despite increased domestic supply from the Dangote Refinery, which currently accounts for over 95 per cent of Jet A1 fuel in the country.
