The Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) has pushed back against the Airline Operators of Nigeria’s (AON), threat to halt all domestic flights from Monday, April 20, 2026, saying its market survey shows Jet A1 prices are over ₦1,000 lower than the ₦3,300 per litre cited by airlines.
In a letter dated April 16, 2026, MEMAN Executive Secretary Clement Isong told AON President Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina that the association was “surprised” by the ₦3,300 figure, noting it exceeds MEMAN’s average surveyed price by more than ₦1,000.
Isong urged airlines paying that rate to “exercise their commercial right to seek alternative suppliers,” adding that “more competitively priced options are available” and costs should fall further “in the coming weeks.”
The response follows AON’s April 14 letter warning that all Nigerian carriers will suspend operations from April 20 unless jet fuel prices are cut.
AON said Jet A1 had jumped from ₦900 to ₦3,300 per litre since February 28, a 300% rise that made operations unsustainable, with one airline already grounded since March 13.
MEMAN said it “empathises with the very difficult situation” facing airlines but attributed price pressure to Middle East geopolitical tensions disrupting global supply chains for middle distillates like Jet A1. The group noted that transport costs within Nigeria have risen by an average of 50%.
It also stressed that aviation turbine kerosene requires “dedicated equipment, specialised handling procedures, and rigorous quality checks” that make logistics “more cost-intensive” than other petroleum products.
Those safeguards, MEMAN said, are non-negotiable for safety and quality.
To ease volatility, MEMAN advised AON members to move away from spot pricing and enter longer term contracts with suppliers for “greater price predictability” and reduced exposure to daily swings.
The association said it is actively engaging the NMDPRA and other regulators and has submitted “practical suggestions” to mitigate impact on aviation.
While MEMAN said members do not discuss pricing due to competition law, it maintained that its members “remain committed to providing ATK at fair, market-reflective prices.”
The exchange leaves both sides at odds days before the AON’s shutdown deadline, with airlines citing existential cost threats and marketers pointing to global shocks, safety protocols, and alternative supply options.
The MEMAN letter was copied to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the NCAA, and the DSS.
