Allen Onyema, the CEO of of Nigerian airline, Air Peace, has warned that airfare might rise to about ₦120,000 for local flights if urgent actions are not taken by the Federal Government to reduce the price of aviation fuel.
Speaking on behalf of the Airline Operators Association of Nigeria (AOAN) at a parliamentary briefing on Monday, Mr Onyema called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to grant operators permission to import the product to end the hike.
He submitted that if airline companies can buy planes worth millions of dollars, they would have no trouble importing aviation fuel.
Lamenting that the cheapest flight ticket today costs ₦70,000, Mr Onyema seriously warned there would be further increase if efforts were not made to address the fuel crisis.
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In a response to the airline operators’ request, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, disclosed that plans were underway to issue airline operators licences to import aviation fuel.
It was agreed at a hearing attended by the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) that the price of Jet-A1 be set at ₦500 per litre, down from ₦670 per litre.
Mr Onyema had said at the briefing that airline operators agreed to down tools until the fuel price returned to normal rate.
While speaking at the meeting, Onyema also 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 on Monday held spoke at a meeting of oil marketers and Airline operators at the National Assembly.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK