A debilitating jet fuel crisis has dogged the aviation industry in Nigeria for some months now. The problem barely hits the headlines and the domestic airlines have been labouring in silence while their long-suffering passengers suffer frequent disruptions of flights. Flights are delayed for hours on end only for them to be cancelled at the last minute.

Last week, the tempers of some air passengers flared up at some airports across the country. Their protests threatened the airports, airlines and their employees, forcing the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to appeal to air passengers to show restraint and refrain from the violence and wanton destruction of airport facilities reported at some of the airports.

The agency also advised the airlines to reduce flight operations since it had become clear that they could not source enough fuel to meet their regular schedules.

We are aware that the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has been working on this problem and has conferred with the Governor of the Central Bank Mr. Godwin Emefiele the possibility of granting the Ministry of Aviation certain concessions to enable oil marketers have easier access to foreign exchange to import aviation fuel.

We also understand that Hadi has been talking with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to explore the possibility of dedicating one of the country’s refineries to jet fuel.

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We support the minister’s efforts, but the ultimate solution lies in his closing these deals and ensuring that this problem is solved. The number of Nigerians who need to fly to their destinations across the country may be fewer, when compared with those who go by road, rail and boats, but the aviation industry is a vital component of the Nigerian economy which must be supported to provide reliable services.

Flying is an option that must be available in a country where most expressways are poorly maintained and rail transportation is rudimentary. Statistics show that a significant percentage of the world’s traffic of goods and services is done by air. Aviation services should, therefore, not only be provided when it is convenient, it must be provided as an integral and essential part of our transportation system.

We know the source of the jet fuel scarcity. It is that we no longer have enough foreign exchange to import the things we need. But, our people need to interact with the rest of the world. Flights that ought to terminate in Lagos and Abuja now go to Accra or somewhere else.

Incessant flight delays and cancellations on account of jet fuel shortage, and the frequent diversion of flights that should terminate in Nigeria to neighbouring countries due to shortage of aviation fuel, are doing considerable damage to our economy and our image as a major oil producing country.

We urge the Federal Government to pay special attention to the supply of aviation fuel and assist our struggling domestic airlines to survive and thrive. We must not let the scarcity of aviation fuel hamper activities in the aviation sector.