Nigeria: Flights Delayed, Rescheduled As Jet Fuel Shortage Deepens

Air travellers across Nigeria are facing growing frustration as a deepening shortage of aviation fuel, commonly known as Jet A1, continues to disrupt flight operations, causing widespread delays and uncertainty across major airports, Daily Trust can report.

Airlines have warned that the persistent scarcity of fuel is affecting their ability to maintain schedules, with several flights either delayed, rescheduled, or, in some cases, cancelled at short notice.

The situation has become more pronounced in recent days, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and forcing many to reconsider travel plans.

Amidst this development, the ground handling companies have threatened to withdraw their services to indigenous airlines over N9bn debt.

Already, operators say the price of Jet A1 has ballooned by over 300 per cent since the start of the US-Israel war in Iran and the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway route responsible for one fifth of the global fuel supply.

The operators under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had threatened to shut down operation last Monday but they were prevailed upon by the federal government to suspend the shutdown while a meeting was held with stakeholders spearheaded by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development on Wednesday last week.

A follow-up meeting with oil marketers was also held on Thursday but as of the time of filing this report there was no relief to airlines over the acute shortage of aviation fuel.

The only take away from the meeting was the approval of 30 per cent discount on debt owed by airlines to service providers while the airlines are seeking a total waiver on their indebtedness to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), among others.

However, the scarcity of jet fuel and the hike in price is putting intense pressure on airline operations in a sector already grappling with high operating costs.

The impact is evident at airports in Lagos, Abuja, and other key domestic routes, where passengers now face extended waiting times.

Many travellers report spending hours at terminals with little clarity on departure times, while others have had flights rescheduled multiple times within the same day.

A social media influencer at the weekend called out one of the airlines for allegedly issuing boarding passes when it knew there was no fuel.

It was gathered that some of the operators have also begun to rationalise routes and reduce flight frequencies in a bid to manage limited resources.

For instance, Air Peace slashed its London-Heathrow flight to three frequencies in response to the shortage.

As the shortage persists, concerns are mounting that the aviation sector could face more severe disruptions if urgent steps are not taken to stabilise fuel supply.

…Ground handlers threaten service withdrawal

Meanwhile, domestic and international flight operations of indigenous airlines may be disrupted from Tuesday, following a seven-day ultimatum issued by the Aviation Ground Handlers Association of Nigeria (AGHAN) over an outstanding debt exceeding N9 billion by the airlines.

Daily Trust reports that ground handling companies offer safety critical services including passenger check-in, baggage handling, refuelling coordination and ramp services to airlines.

The ground handling companies are Skyway Handling Company of Nigeria (SAHCO) Plc; Nigerian Aviation Handling Nigeria (NAHCO) Plc, Butake Handling Company, Precision Handling Company Limited and Swissport Handling Company.

A letter which was jointly signed by AGHAN Chairman and Vice Chairman, Olaniyi Adigun and Ahmed Bashir, respectively, addressed to the President of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), is dated April 21, 2026 with the head: ‘Outstanding Indebtedness and Notice of Possible Withdrawal of Services.’

The letter that was also copied the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA), Chris Najomo; Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku; Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi and the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, was obtained by The Guardian over the weekend.

AGHAN in the letter warned that its member companies could be forced to suspend ground handling services from Tuesday, April 28, 2026 if the debts were not settled within the stipulated timeframe.

The letter read in part: “This situation has continued to exert significant pressure on the operational capacity of our members, adversely affecting their ability to deliver sustainable, efficient and safe services. It has also created considerable financial strain on the management and workforce of the affected organizations.

“Despite repeated engagements and efforts made in good faith by our members to secure settlement of these obligations, the responses received thus far have not yielded the desired outcomes, with payment commitments largely unmet.

“In light of the foregoing, and to safeguard the continued viability of our members’ operations, we wish to respectfully notify you that our members may be constrained to withdraw services should these outstanding debts remain unresolved within seven days from the date of this letter.”

The handlers also apologised to air travellers for any inconvenience the situation may cause and reiterated their commitment to a peaceful resolution on the matter.

…Stop Scapegoating Air Peace

Meanwhile, aviation analyst, Fred Chukwuelobe yesterday warned against scapegoating Air Peace over the recent aviation fuel shortage, noting that the crisis is global.

“There is a renewed and rather orchestrated onslaught against Air Peace over the current shortage of aviation fuel (Jet A-1). Let’s be clear from the outset: this is not a crisis created by one airline, nor is it peculiar to Nigeria. It is a global aviation challenge driven by supply constraints, price volatility, and persistent disruptions in the fuel value chain as a result of the Middle East crisis,” he said.

According to him, it is “baffling and disappointing” the “deliberate attempt in some quarters to personalise a systemic problem.”

“The issue has already been escalated to the appropriate authorities, particularly the federal government and engagements have been held, and efforts are ongoing to stabilise supply. Yet, rather than direct attention to the root causes, a chorus of social media commentators and disgruntled passengers has chosen the easier path – targeting Air Peace as though it exists in isolation from the realities of the global aviation industry.

“Across the world, airlines are battling the same headwinds: volatile fuel prices, refining limitations, geopolitical uncertainties, and post-pandemic supply chain fragility. Established global carriers like Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines and others have not been spared. They have adjusted schedules, reduced capacity, and, in some instances, cancelled flights due to fuel availability issues and cost pressures. These are facts, not excuses,” Chukwuelobe said.

He advised that the focus should be on sustainable solutions through “strengthening local refining capacity, improving supply chain resilience, and creating a more stable operating environment for all airlines.”

By Daily Trust.