The Airline Operators of Nigeria has temporarily suspended its planned shutdown of flight operations following intervention by the federal government over the rising cost of aviation fuel.
The decision was announced in a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of the association’s Executive Council and Board of Trustees in Lagos.
The shutdown, initially scheduled to commence on April 20, was put on hold after the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, appealed to operators to reconsider their position.
According to the communiqué, the airlines agreed to suspend the action pending the outcome of a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the minister for April 22 in Abuja.
“The planned shutdown action scheduled for Monday, April 20, 2026, is hereby called off temporarily, pending the outcome of the meeting called by the Honourable Minister,” the association stated.
AON said the decision followed “robust deliberations” and consideration of the minister’s assurances that the concerns raised by operators over the jet fuel crisis had received the attention of the federal government.
In his appeal, Keyamo commended airlines for their resilience in sustaining operations despite the challenges and assured that steps were being taken to address the situation.
“I wish to commend the resilience, professionalism and steadfast commitment of your members in sustaining air transport services under difficult conditions,” the minister said.
The airline operators, however, set conditions for the suspension, urging the government to direct relevant agencies and service providers to avoid harassment and discontinue demands for upfront payments.
“As a precondition, we call on the Honourable Minister to ensure that agencies and service providers continue to support airline operations without undue pressure,” AON said.
The association expressed optimism that the forthcoming meeting would lead to a “win-win solution” for all stakeholders in the aviation sector.
It added that further decisions would depend on the outcome of the dialogue with government authorities as the industry grapples with escalating jet fuel prices.