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Airlines are demanding operational licenses from the federal government to begin importation of fuel or Airlines in Nigeria shut down, following the recent fuel scarcity across the country.
Airpeace Chairman, Allen Onyema, warned that Airlines in the country would shut down operations over the non-availability of Aviation fuel to run their operations.
‘We have only three more days, all airlines in Nigeria will shut down. We are not threatening this country, it is a fact,” Onyema said.
The Airpeace boss is currently speaking at a meeting of oil marketers and Airline operators at the National Assembly.
Also in attendance at the meeting is the NNPC CEO, Mele Kyari and other stakeholders.
”I have the mandate of all airlines to demand that Airlines begin importation of fuel, if we can buy planes of millions of dollars, we can also import fuel ourselves. Let NNPC give Airlines licenses, we want to import ourselves, Onyema insisted.
Airline operators in Nigeria recently alleged hijacked of aviation fuel by supply chain of the Jet A1 fuel, thereby driving up the price through artificial scarcity.
The operators also expressed worry over the safety of airlines in Nigeria, adding that they were disturbed in the face of continuous hike in the price of aviation fuel.
The operators said this during a hearing by the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the scarcity of aviation fuel.
They said that operators were struggling to maintain their jets as fuel now took over 115 per cent of operation costs.
Mr Allen Onyema, the CEO of Air Peace, said that within two weeks, price of aviation fuel moved from N190 per litre to N670 per litre as oil prices rose as a result of the Russian – Ukraine war.