The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE)says the unending scarcity of aviation fuel also known as Jet A1 fuel poses a direct threat to flight safety and the structural survival of Nigeria’s aviation industry.
The President of NAAPE,Capt. Bunmi Gindeh, stated this in statement made available to aviation journalists in Lagos.
NAAPE said that the scarcity has evolved beyond a simple logistics issue into a critical emergency that jeopardises both operational standards and the sector’s long-term viability.
He expressed “grave concern over how supply shortfalls are forcing dangerous operational compromises.
Central to the association’s concern, he said is the escalating risk of crew fatigue; as flight schedules collapse, pilots and engineers are frequently pushed beyond planned duty parameters.
Operating under such physical and cognitive strain, Gindehu pointed out erodes the situational awareness critical for managing complex flight environments, effectively placing passengers at measurable risk, adding that the crisis is also dismantling the industry’s economic foundations.
He noted that with aircraft grounded and revenue streams frozen, airline operators are facing severe financial hemorrhaging.
Gindeh further noted that the, instability has already begun to impact the workforce through delayed salaries and deteriorating welfare, creating a distracted environment that further compromises safety protocols while stressing that the
regional impact is already visible.
NAAPE cited the recent route reductions by carriers like Rano Air as a precursor to a wider industry collapse.
The pilots and engineers umbrella body warned the industry needs immediate intervention, as it faces a wave of route suspensions, potential airline closures, and mass job losses.
Such a contraction, NAAPE said would ripple through the national economy, stifling trade and tourism.
NAAPE called for “decisive and immediate action by the Federal Government and regulatory bodies, including the the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA) and NMDPRA, to treat the fuel supply chain as a matter of urgent national priority.
NAAPE insisted that the long-term viability of Nigerian aviation is now contingent on resolving the fuel impasse before the current operational strain leads to an irreversible catastrophe.
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