By Chinelo Obogo
Escalating tensions from the US–Iran conflict have spiked jet fuel prices and tightened already fragile global aviation supply chains. The ripple effect is now being felt in Nigeria’s domestic market, where airlines are buying aviation N2,557 per litre.
To remain afloat, they have adjusted fares upward to cope with rising operating costs. Ticket prices have surged from about N92,000 to as high as N135,000 as carriers struggle to absorb sustained fuel volatility and wider geopolitical pressure on energy markets.
Checks across websites of all the domestic airlines show the rocket surge.
For instance, on United Nigeria Airline, flights for Thursday, April 16, from Lagos to Abuja were pegged at N135,000.
On Air Peace’s website, the cost of flying to Anambra from Abuja for Friday, April 17 is N145,000, while Abuja to Enugu on the same airline for the same day is N135,500.
On Ibom Air, flights from Lagos to Uyo for Friday are N152,500, while flights from Calabar to Abuja on Saturday, April 18 are N152,500.
For ValueJet, flights from Abuja to Jos cost N169, 523 for Friday, while for today (Wednesday), flights from Lagos to Abuja cost N155, 238 and passengers flying Aero Contractors from Lagos to Abuja on Friday will pay N145,702, while economy tickets on the newly-established Enugu Air from Port Harcourt to Lagos on Tuesday was N130,000.
Last month (March), Daily Sun exclusively reported that the growing fuel crisis would likely force domestic airlines to increase ticket prices to stay afloat. Data obtained by Daily Sun from major Nigerian airports last month revealed that Sokoto has the highest aviation fuel price in the country at N2,557 per litre.
It is closely followed by Kano at N2,554 per litre, while both Port Harcourt and Asaba report rates of N2,543 per litre. Fuelling at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja is at N2,538 per litre, while Enugu stands at N2,535 per litre.
Airlines buy Jet A1 in Warri airport at N2,530 per litre, Anambra airport at N2,529 per litre, Asaba airport at N2,528 per litre, while Lagos is the least at N2,500 per litre. These prices took effect on March 20, 2026. This comes as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) warns of possible sanctions against domestic airlines over rising ticket prices.
Aviation fuel, which accounts for 40 to 55 per cent of airline operating costs, has surged 100 per cent recently and forced carriers to absorb substantial losses.
An airline executive told Daily Sun that the situation is compounded by a decline in passenger traffic, leaving domestic operators grappling with both higher expenses and reduced revenue. In March, the average domestic flight fares remained around N92,000. At the time, an airline executive told Daily Sun that carriers were closely monitoring the situation and that if aviation fuel costs continue to rise, fare hikes across operators are likely inevitable.
“We are in a very difficult situation and most Nigerian airlines are losing money. We are operating at a loss. When fuel alone is consuming more than half of what we earn from ticket sales, there is no other path forward other than adjusting fares or grounding aircraft and neither option is good for the industry or passengers. The situation is compounded by a drop in passenger traffic because this is the off peak period. You carry passengers from Lagos to Abuja and the number of passengers can’t even fuel the aircraft. We are all struggling to stay afloat,” he said.
Foreign carriers have not been immune to the pressure of the war either. Several international airlines have quietly reduced their capacity on major routes or deploying smaller aircraft. Carriers such as Air France-KLM said they were considering options that could include cancelling routes in some parts of the world with less stable fuel reserves.
While Europe currently has enough stocks to supply airlines in the next month or so, other countries are more dependent on Gulf flows and could see shortages sooner.
Ben Smith, the chief executive of Air France-KLM, said that while there was currently no concern about fuelling planes for the 12-hour trip to south-east Asia, there was a risk that return flights could be compromised. He said: “We’re putting in plans today to draw up scenarios on how we would deal with the shortage of fuel. South-east Asia is much more dependent on fuel coming over the Gulf than Europe is. If there’s no fuel, you can’t fly.”
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