The body of Aviation fuel marketers, Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) has responded to Airline Operators of Nigeria Association (AON) on the issue of hike in the price of Jet A1 fuel in the country.
In its letter dated April 16, 2026 and titled: Response to AON’s Letter on the Price of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (Jet A1), the aviation fuel marketers refuted the claims that the price of the petroleum product now at N3,300 per litre was agreed upon and deliberately imposed by MEMAN. It argued that it does not have the capacity to decide market prices to its members in a competitive market situation.
It said that though the average price of the product available with its members across the country is N1000 lesser than the price at which AON claimed.
it bought fuel on Wednesday April 15, 2026.
While the fuel marketers advised AON members to seek alternative suppliers whose prices are lower than N3,300 per litre, it also suggested that AON could seek better options to alleviate the problem.
MEMAN which however agreed that the price of the product has been increased within the period, attributed the sharp increase in the prices to the current political tensions in Middle East.
It argued that the tensions have effected the cost of of transportation among others factors in the industry resulting in the high prices in the downstream sector of the industry. The Fuel marketers therefore called for understanding on the part of AON as they have commenced actions on alleviating the situation.
“We empathise with the very difficult situation currently faced by the Nigerian aviation sector. The sharp increase in Jet Al prices has placed significant pressure on airline operations, and we fully understand the serious implications this has on the sustainability of the aviation sector and the broader economy. The challenge is that the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have severely disrupted global supply chains and significantly affected the pricing and availability of middle distillate products such as diesel and Jet A1. Transport costs within the country have therefore gone up by an average of 50 percent, ”
The fuel marketers continued, “It is also important to note that the transportation and distribution of ATK is governed by specific protocol for quality assurance and safety reasons, which are more stringent than those applicable to most other petroleum products. Dedicated equipment, specialised handling procedures, and rigorous quality checks at every stage of the supply chain are non-negotiable requirements. These necessary safeguards inherently make the logistics and distribution of ATK a more cost-intensive undertaking compared to other petroleum products.
“We want this context to be clearly understood as part of any assessment of pricing in the sector.
“That said, we wish to assure you that reducing the cost burden of petroleum product distribution is a matter of active and ongoing attention within our Association. Steps to improve safety and simultaneously reduce logistics, delivery, and operational costs across the downstream value chain are continually being discussed, shared, and implemented between MEMAN members and the MEMAN Secretariat through regular webinars, training programmes, and industry engagements. It is a core part of our mandate to share these best practices broadly with the downstream industry so that distribution costs are minimised to the greatest extent possible, without compromising on safety or quality standards.
“In light of the above, MEMAN said, “we must express our surprise at the price of N3,300 per litre stated in your letter as the price being charged to some airline operators. MEMAN members do not discuss pricing as this will be against competition law, however, the price of N3,300 is over N1,000 higher than our average market survey price carried out for this exercise, after receipt of your letter. We would therefore strongly encourage any operators currently being charged at those levels to exercise their commercial right to seek alternative suppliers. Our market survey confirms that more competitively priced options are available, and MEMAN members remain committed to providing ATK at fair, market-reflective prices
.The .fuel marketers however allyed the fear of increasing in the price as they claimed that they have received indications that prices of Jet Al will begin to drop in the coming weeks.
“We have also received indications of falling costs, which should begin to reflect in market prices in the coming weeks, ” MEMAN stated.
Finally, we strongly encourage AON members to adopt a more sustainable pricing approach by moving away from spot pricing and entering into longer-term contractual arrangements with their suppliers. This would
provide greater price predictability, help stabilise cash flow, and reduce exposure to daily market swings.
Please be assured that MEMAN has been actively engaged with the relevant regulatory authorities on this
matter. Following due consultations, we have formally communicated several practical suggestions and
recommendations aimed at mitigating the impact on the aviation sector and the wider economy. We continue to engage constructively with the NMDPRA and other key stakeholders to find balanced and sustainable.”
