Reps secure six million litres of aviation fuel for airlines

The House of Representatives has secured the cooperation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to make available six million litres of aviation fuel to marketers chosen by the Airlines Operators of Nigeria.

The deal was struck at a meeting with Airlines Operators of Nigeria representatives at the National Assembly.

Stakeholders present at the meeting included the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Aviation, Central Bank of Nigeria, NNPC, Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Airspace Management Authority, among others.

The Airlines Operators of Nigeria, according to Channels TV had threatened to shutdown local airline oper on Monday but withdrew the threat on Sunday under pressure from the Federal Government.

The airline operators said the rising cost of key inputs such as aviation fuel necessitated the planned shutdown.

Part of the resolutions reached at Monday’s meeting, which lasted for over three hours, include that, as a long term solution, the airline operators must commence, as soon as possible, the process of securing a license for the importation of aviation fuel to avoid suspicion over the landing cost of the product and other associated logistic issues.

The Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority was also mandated to, as much as possible, grant waivers that do not touch on the security and safety of the country for importers of the products.