Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Nigeria caps jet fuel prices to avert airline disruptions

Nigeria's government is capping jet fuel prices and allowing airlines to buy supplies on credit, according to a government document seen by Reuters, as it tries to avert flight ​disruptions caused by soaring fuel costs.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) ​said in the document that aviation fuel should sell for 1,760 ⁠naira to 1,988 naira ($1.29 to $1.46) per litre in Lagos and 1,809 naira to ​2,037 naira in Abuja, based on benchmarks from April 17 to April 23.

It warned ​that prices could still rise due to market volatility linked to the U.S.–Iran conflict and higher supplier costs.

The NMDPRA and aviation ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The decision follows ​emergency talks after airlines warned that jet fuel prices had jumped by more ​than 270%, forcing fare increases and raising the risk of capacity cuts.

President Bola Tinubu last week approved ‌30% relief ⁠on airlines' debts to aviation agencies and ordered fuel marketers, airlines and regulators to agree on a "fair" fuel price within 72 hours to prevent a sector-wide shutdown.

The talks also agreed to grant airlines a 30-day credit window to pay for fuel and ​tasked the aviation ​ministry with mediating debt ⁠disputes between operators and oil marketers, according to the document.

A technical committee convened by the NMDPRA recommended that fuel marketers sell ​directly to airlines within the indicated price range to cut ​costs and ⁠improve supply-chain transparency, the document said.

The committee also urged regulators to engage Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals over recently increased premiums applied to international benchmarks used to price jet ⁠fuel.

Other recommendations ​include validating airside fuel distributors with adequate infrastructure - ​potentially reducing the number of authorised suppliers at airports - and considering jet fuel for Nigeria's naira-for-crude initiative to ​limit airlines' foreign exchange exposure.

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

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