Nigerian operators warn government over possible grounding

“The situation is critical in Lagos and Abuja, the operational hubs of Arik Air, and the airline has warned that if the situation is not addressed as a priority by the marketers, more flights could be delayed or cancelled,” said Arik Air spokesman, Adebanji Ola.

 

Nigeria imports its Jet A1 fuel, despite being the largest oil producer in Africa, and with the collapse of the Nigerian naira importers have struggled to secure enough fuel.

 

“For quite some time now, there has been a general scarcity of Jet-A1 fuel in the country. Since the development, we have resorted to different alternative sources to secure the product to ensure that flight delays did not disrupt the programmes of our numerous loyal customers," said Air Peace's chief operating officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide.

 

Airlines have warned that more cancellations are possible until there is more fuel available.