Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has warned that all airlines in the country would shut down in three days time over the non-availability of aviation fuel to run their operations.
Speaking on Monday, March 14, 2022 at a meeting of oil marketers and Airline operators in the National Assembly, Onyema said;
We have only three more days, all airlines in Nigeria will shut down. We are not threatening this country, it is a fact.
He explained that if they were to continue flying, an average Nigerian will spend N120,000 for an economy ticket.
Nigerian Airline operators are demanding operational licenses from the federal government to begin importation of fuel into the country following the recent fuel debacle and scarcity across the country.
He stated;
I have the mandate of all airlines to demand that Airlines begin importation of fuel, if we can buy planes of millions of dollars, we can also import fuel ourselves. Let NNPC give Airlines licenses, we want to import ourselves.
The briefing was held jointly with NNPC officials, including the group managing director, Mele Kyari.
On his part, Mr. Kyari said that at the moment there were 19 oil companies with 88 million litres of aviation fuel in the country.
In their presentation, the oil markers said high dollar rate was responsible for the high cost of the fuel.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Idris Wase, who chaired the committee, asked of how much they purchased the dollar and which banks, the representatives of the marketers could not give an answer.
He therefore warned them against blackmailing the government.
Nigeria has faced an unprecedented energy crisis since last month when chaos broke out over the importation of adulterated fuel.
NNPC said it had resolved the crisis, but the state-run firm has failed to clarify why Nigerians continue to endure long queues and skyrocketing prices as gas stations.
