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Domestic airlines operating within Nigeria took delivery of approximately 749.2 million litres of aviation turbine kerosene between January and August 2026, according to official regulatory data that highlights deep supply swings and ongoing operational hurdles for the aviation sector.

An analysis of the monthly fact sheet released by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) reveals that domestic jet fuel receipts averaged 3.1 million litres daily over the eight-month window.

However, the figures mask a highly volatile delivery pattern characterized by sharp monthly fluctuations that have continually strained airline scheduling and ticket pricing.

The NMDPRA data shows that domestic receipts began the year robustly in January at six million litres daily, translating to roughly 186 million litres for the month. Within weeks, however, the supply pipeline suffered a steep collapse, plunging to 1.6 million litres per day in February, amounting to just 44.8 million litres.

While deliveries experienced incremental recoveries in the spring, climbing to 2.1 million litres daily in March, three million litres in April, and peaking at 4.3 million litres daily in May, the upward trajectory proved unsustainable.

READ ALSO: Oil Prices Fall As G7 Plans 100m-Barrel Reserve Release

Supply dropped again during the summer months, falling to 2.5 million litres daily in June and sliding further to 1.9 million litres per day in July, before staging a modest rebound to 3.1 million litres daily in August.

Industry observers note that these erratic domestic receipts do not account for total national availability, as the regulatory data excludes a corresponding breakdown of imported aviation fuel. Nonetheless, the numbers underscore the precarious nature of fuel logistics at a time when reliable energy access is vital to keeping commercial fleets airborne.

For domestic airline operators, fluctuating supply volumes translate directly into financial strain and operational chaos. Fuel availability remains inextricably linked to recent flight disruptions and widespread passenger strandings, particularly at key transit hubs like the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Airline executives have repeatedly blamed these bottlenecks on a combination of compounding debts owed to fuel marketers and the prohibitive cost of aviation fuel. Industry stakeholders point out that fuel now accounts for a staggering 45 to 50 percent of total operating expenses for local carriers.

Highlighting the magnitude of the cost escalation, Air Peace founder Dr. Allen Onyema and other airline chiefs have disclosed that a single domestic flight rotation that previously required roughly N3 million worth of fuel now demands between N12 million and N13 million. While prices spiked dramatically to N3,500 per litre during the height of Middle East geopolitical tensions earlier in the year, up from N900 prior to US-Israel actions against Iran in late February, prices subsequently plateaued around N2,500 per litre, where they have largely remained.

Beyond the aviation sector, the NMDPRA fact sheet provides a broader window into Nigeria’s wider midstream and downstream hydrocarbon performance between January and August 2026.

Total natural gas supply averaged 4.963 billion cubic feet per day during the period. This comprised an average domestic delivery volume of 2.030 billion cubic feet daily alongside an average feedgas supply of 2.933 billion cubic feet daily dedicated to Nigeria LNG (NLNG). NLNG feedgas accounted for roughly 59.1 per cent of the combined gas flow, while domestic consumption represented 40.9 per cent. Domestic gas deliveries reached a notable milestone in August, hitting a record 2.214 billion cubic feet daily.

Meanwhile, the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) market witnessed a distinct structural shift in August. Total domestic LPG receipts dropped by about 19 percent, falling from 5.3 kilotonnes daily in July to 4.3 kilotonnes in August. Local supply from domestic refineries and gas processing plants suffered a 32 percent slump, dropping from 4.4 kilotonnes daily to three kilotonnes.

To bridge the deficit, oil marketing companies ramped up imports by 44 percent, lifting daily foreign receipts from 0.9 kilotonnes to 1.3 kilotonnes. Despite the increased reliance on foreign shipments, which included contributions from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, NLNG vessel deliveries, and direct imports, local sources continued to anchor the domestic cooking gas market.

The Traffic NG
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Hibbatullah Shittu
The Traffic NG

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