Fuel marketers cut supply to airlines over unpaid debts as Abuja flights stall

Some Nigerian airlines are owing aviation fuel marketers millions of naira, and the unpaid debts have now disrupted flight operations, leaving passengers stranded at airports. Jet A1 is selling for about N2,130 per litre in Lagos and Abuja, while prices at airports outside the two major aviation hubs range between N2,180 and N2,230 per litre, depending on location.

The disruption hit hardest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where Air Peace passengers booked on Friday flights were delayed for several hours and some flights were cancelled. Lagos, Maiduguri and Asaba-bound passengers were caught up in the disruption. Travellers heading to Lagos eventually departed that night, but those going to Asaba and Maiduguri spent the night at the airport, triggering protests inside the terminal.

Why the fuel supply was cut

Sources in the aviation fuel market said Jet A1 was available, but some airlines could not obtain fresh supplies because of outstanding debts. One marketer said some carriers owed millions of naira and could not expect uninterrupted fuel supplies without settling what they already owed.

An airline source put it plainly: “Airlines may have faced disruptions because a number of them were not supplied the product because they have refused to clear outstanding. They are owing in the millions.”

The same source said: “The truth is some are owing, and they won’t expect continuous delivery while they are yet to pay what they are owing.”

The problem is cost, not scarcity

According to the airline source, the issue is not necessarily fuel scarcity but the rising cost of aviation fuel, which has significantly raised airlines’ operating expenses. Jet A1 at N2,130 per litre in Lagos and Abuja, and up to N2,230 per litre elsewhere, is enough to stretch any domestic operator’s books.

Indigenous carriers face added pressure because most of their income is earned in naira, while many of their major expenses are either dollar-denominated or influenced by foreign exchange rates. Rising fuel and other operating costs have reportedly made it increasingly difficult for some local airlines to remain financially stable.

Some operators have been forced to seek funds from other parts of their businesses to meet fuel obligations. The source warned the situation could worsen if costs keep rising, and urged the Federal Government to intervene in the aviation sector to ease the financial burden on domestic airlines and prevent more operators from collapsing.

What it means for travellers

For passengers, the immediate risk is more delays and cancellations when an airline cannot secure fuel. For the airlines, unpaid fuel bills and naira-earnings against dollar-linked costs leave little room to absorb another price shock without raising fares or cutting routes.