Aviation fuel surge threatens Nigeria’s 2026 Hajj airlift

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s aviation sector have warned that a sharp rise in the price of Jet A1 fuel could disrupt plans to transport thousands of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2026 Hajj.

Under the banner of Concerned Aviation Stakeholders, the group urged federal and state authorities to take urgent action, saying the cost spike poses one of the most serious logistical and financial challenges to recent Hajj operations.

Its president, Bukalti Usman Gamawa, said airlines contracted for the pilgrimage are already under pressure, with many expected to lease additional aircraft to meet demand. He warned that rising fuel costs have effectively wiped out projected profit margins, leaving some operators at risk of breaking even or running at a loss.

“If urgent measures are not taken, some airlines may find it financially impossible to commence or sustain operations,” he said.

Although the government no longer subsidises Hajj operations, stakeholders are calling for policy interventions, including pricing regulation, foreign exchange support and strategic fuel supply arrangements.

Fuel prices in Nigeria have risen from about ₦1,000 per litre at the time contracts were signed to as high as ₦3,000, a 200% increase. On the Saudi side, prices have also climbed from roughly $0.68 to $1.40 per litre, creating what operators describe as a “double burden” for outbound and return flights.

Industry estimates suggest a single aircraft consumes about 70,000 litres of fuel per trip, meaning costs have surged from around ₦70m per flight to as much as ₦175m.

Airlines say they now face a difficult choice: absorb the additional costs and risk losses, pass them on to pilgrims through higher fares, or depend on government intervention.

Meanwhile, domestic carriers have begun scaling back operations as the crisis deepens. Members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) say fuel prices have risen by more than 300% in under two months, from about ₦900 per litre in late February to as much as ₦3,300 in April.

Several airlines, including Air Peace and Ibom Air, have reduced flight frequencies and adjusted routes to cope with supply constraints.

Air Peace said it had cut its Abuja–London service to three weekly flights until July, citing ongoing fuel shortages.

A meeting convened by the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, to resolve the dispute between airlines and fuel marketers ended without agreement, though further talks are expected.

Industry figures indicate Nigerian airlines may have overpaid more than ₦150bn on aviation fuel between February and April alone. The president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria, Alex Nwuba, described the situation as unsustainable, warning that the price gap between Nigeria and global benchmarks had reached “catastrophic” levels.

Analysts say without swift intervention, the 2026 Hajj could see record-high fares — or, in a worst-case scenario, significant disruption to the airlift operation.

Source: Leadership Newspapers