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ABUJA, NIGERIA

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has agreed to temporarily halt its planned suspension of domestic flight services, originally set to commence on April 20, 2026, following emergency interventions by the federal government. The decision provides temporary relief to millions of Nigerian travellers and businesses dependent on air transport, even as underlying challenges threatening the viability of the aviation sector remain unresolved.

The suspension of the shutdown was confirmed in a joint communique issued late Thursday, April 17, following marathon negotiations between AON leadership and a federal government delegation led by the Minister of Aviation and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. According to the communique, both parties agreed to convene an expanded emergency meeting on April 22 to address the core grievances that triggered the threat of industrial action.

The AON had issued a notice of operational shutdown earlier in the week, citing the "astronomical and unsustainable" rise in the price of Jet A1 aviation fuel. Industry sources indicate that the price of jet fuel has surged to approximately ₦3,300 per litre—representing a 270 percent increase compared to prices recorded just 12 months ago. Airline executives argued that fuel costs now account for nearly 70 percent of total operational expenses, rendering many routes economically unviable.

"The government has demonstrated a willingness to engage substantively on this matter," a senior AON official familiar with the negotiations told Prime Brief Media, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing discussions. "We have agreed to give the dialogue a chance. However, our members remain deeply concerned. If the April 22 meeting does not produce concrete, enforceable relief measures, the option of a shutdown remains very much on the table."

The federal government delegation reportedly offered a range of short-term palliative measures, including expedited access to foreign exchange for fuel procurement and a temporary waiver on certain navigational charges. However, airline operators are pushing for more structural interventions, including a review of the monopoly structure in the domestic jet fuel supply chain and the possibility of direct allocation of refined products from the Dangote Refinery and other local sources.

Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, in a brief statement to journalists after the meeting, appealed for calm and assured the flying public that the government was treating the matter with the utmost seriousness. "The air transport sector is too critical to the national economy to be allowed to grind to a halt," Keyamo stated. "We are confident that the April 22 meeting will yield a durable framework that protects both the interests of the airlines and the travelling public."

Industry analysts note that while the temporary suspension of the shutdown averts immediate travel chaos, the underlying structural issues plaguing Nigerian aviation—foreign exchange scarcity, high insurance premiums, and an opaque fuel supply chain—require comprehensive policy reform rather than ad-hoc interventions. The outcome of the April 22 emergency meeting is expected to set the tone for the sector's stability in the months ahead.

In the interim, the AON has advised passengers with existing bookings to proceed with their travel plans as scheduled, confirming that all domestic flights will operate normally until further notice.

Prime Brief Media will continue to monitor developments in the aviation sector and provide updates following the April 22 emergency meeting.