The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have officially suspended their planned nationwide shutdown following a successful emergency intervention by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. According to a report , the resolution was reached on Monday, April 20, 2026, during a high-level meeting aimed at addressing the critical challenges facing the aviation sector.
The operators had initially threatened to grounded flights across the country to protest the skyrocketing costs of aviation fuel (Jet A1) and the persistent difficulty in accessing foreign exchange for aircraft maintenance. However, following the deliberations, the Ministry of Aviation committed to immediate engagements with relevant financial and energy stakeholders to provide short-term relief and long-term sustainable solutions for the industry. This suspension comes as a major relief for thousands of travelers and businesses that were bracing for a total paralysis of the nation’s domestic air travel network.
