Nigerian airline operators have dismissed calls for government subsidies, instead urging authorities to stabilise aviation fuel prices to keep the industry afloat.
Speaking on Channels Television, Obiora Okonkwo, spokesperson for the Airline Operators of Nigeria, said the focus should be on ensuring fair and consistent pricing for JetA1 rather than financial handouts.
“We’re not looking for any government grant; we’re just saying, let’s have the fuel at a reasonable price,” Okonkwo said.
He described aviation as a vital economic driver that supports business activity and mobility, pushing back against the perception that it primarily serves the elite.
“Aviation is a catalyst. It’s an enabler. It’s not just a business of the elite,” he said.
Okonkwo also criticised the level of government support during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that local airlines received minimal assistance compared to their global counterparts.
“The entire ecosystem of aviation was given about N4 billion, which was insignificant. But we survived, we were resilient,” he stated.
He warned that ongoing fuel price volatility now poses a more serious threat, citing cases where supply shortages lead to inflated prices in what he described as a quasi-black market.
“When aviation shuts down, the economy shuts down. When operators cannot service their loans, banks will suffer. And when that happens, jobs are lost, and unemployment rises,” he warned.
Okonkwo called for stronger regulation and accountability among fuel marketers, adding that airlines are prepared to take action against suppliers who distort prices.
“If regulation cannot identify those responsible, marketers should look within and point them out. We are ready to blacklist such players because when we don’t buy, they don’t sell,” Okonkwo said.
