Airlines at Breaking Point: Nwuba Sounds Alarm Over Deepening Fuel Crisis

Nigeria’s airlines are under intense pressure as the surging cost of jet fuel eats into financial reserves and disrupts schedules.

Alex Nwuba, head of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria, told Arise News that the sector risks total collapse without a swift policy response.

Reacting to global warnings from Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, Nwuba stressed that the “bite” of high Jet A1 prices is already being felt acutely by local operators.

“We produce crude locally, but we are forced to pay global benchmark prices in an economy that cannot sustain it.

“Jet fuel prices have surged significantly in recent months, increasing operating costs for airlines globally and tightening already strained margins,” Persecondnews quotes him as saying.

Nwuba noted that the pricing structure remains a major challenge for Nigeria, where income levels are significantly lower than global averages.

“Nigerians cannot afford tickets priced on the same basis as Europe when our earning power is nowhere near theirs,” he added.

On the proposed move by Aliko Dangote to provide jet fuel on credit to airlines, Nwuba described the initiative as helpful but likely structured with safeguards.

He disclosed that the aviation industry has spent over ₦150 billion on fuel within a single quarter, worsening liquidity pressures across the sector.

He called for immediate intervention, particularly temporary price controls on jet fuel, to stabilize operations and prevent further deterioration.

“While we are still talking and setting up committees, the patient is dying. We need urgent action freeze prices now,” he said.

Nwuba added that despite rising costs, airlines have been unable to significantly increase fares due to weak consumer demand, as inflation continues to erode purchasing power.

“If people cannot afford to fly, they travel by road. Once demand drops, the pressure on airlines worsens,” he added

He warned that failure to act swiftly could have far reaching consequences beyond the aviation sector.

He said addressing the crisis requires both immediate relief measures and long-term structural reforms to ensure sustainability in Nigeria’s aviation industry.