The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has warned that the persistent shortage of Jet A1 aviation fuel in Nigeria now poses a direct risk to flight safety, cautioning that disrupted schedules are pushing crew members beyond regulated duty limits and into dangerous levels of fatigue.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, NAAPE president Captain Bunmi Gindeh described the situation as a national emergency requiring immediate intervention from the Federal Government, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
"The persistent disruptions to flight schedules occasioned by the Jet A1 supply shortfall have resulted in significant extensions of crew duty time beyond planned parameters," Gindeh said. "Fatigue impairs cognitive function, slows reaction time, and, most dangerously, erodes situational awareness."
The union noted that as flight schedules continue to collapse under the weight of supply disruptions, pilots and engineers are being repeatedly forced to extend their working hours beyond the limits that aviation safety regulations are designed to enforce.
Gindeh also warned of deepening economic strain on airlines and their workforce. "Grounded or delayed aircraft generate no revenue, yet fixed operational costs persist," he said, adding that the pressure was filtering down to workers through delayed salaries and deteriorating welfare conditions.
Aviation fuel prices surged from approximately ₦900 per litre in February 2026 to ₦3,300 per litre by mid-April, a rise of over 270 per cent attributed largely to the escalation of Middle East tensions and Nigeria's dependence on imported refined petroleum products.
The Federal Government moved to contain the damage last month, with the NMDPRA setting an indicative price band of ₦1,760 to ₦1,988 per litre in Lagos and up to ₦2,037 per litre in Abuja. President Bola Tinubu also approved a 30 per cent reduction in debts owed by airlines to aviation agencies and granted carriers a 30-day credit window for fuel purchases. Those measures have not translated into market reality, with some oil marketers still selling at between ₦2,230 and ₦2,500 per litre as recently as last week, according to industry sources.
NAAPE called on all relevant stakeholders to treat the resolution of the Jet A1 supply crisis as a matter of urgent national priority, warning that inaction risks further route suspensions, potential carrier shutdowns, and widespread job losses across the sector. "Aviation safety is non-negotiable," Gindeh said.