Aviation stakeholders have called on the federal and state governments to urgently address the increase in aviation fuel prices to ease the transportation of Nigerian pilgrims for the 2026 hajj.

The stakeholders, under the aegis of Concerned Aviation Stakeholders, said something needed to be done immediately to save the 2026 hajj operation from severe logistical and financial challenges, following the rising cost of aviation fuel.

President of the group, Bukalti Usaman Gamawa, made the call in a statement on Sunday.

Mr Gamawa said that the skyrocketing cost of Jet A1 aviation fuel continued to threaten the airlift of thousands of Nigerian pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“Many of the airlines contracted for the 2026 Hajj operations are expected to lease aircraft to meet capacity demands. With the current fuel price increase on both legs, much of their projected profit margin has already been wiped out.

“In some cases, airlines may end up operating at break-even or even at a loss, effectively flying for free after covering lease and operational expenses.

“If urgent action is not taken, some airlines may find it financially impossible to even commence operations from Nigeria or sustain return operations from Saudi Arabia,” he said.

The president of the group said that the federal and state governments no longer provide direct subsidies for hajj operations in Nigeria.

He, however, said that stakeholders believed that urgent policy measures, such as pricing regulation, forex support, or strategic fuel supply arrangements, might be necessary to prevent the operation from collapsing.

Mr Gamawa said that without swift intervention, coordination, and emergency action from the government, regulators, airlines, and marketers, the 2026 hajj operation might witness one of the highest fare increases in history.

He said that, in the worst-case scenario, it could even witness operational failure.

“In simple terms, the soaring cost of Jet A1 on both the Nigerian and Saudi sides is the clearest reason why Hajj fares are expected to rise sharply in 2026.

“When Hajj contracts were negotiated and signed, Jet A1 was selling at approximately N1,000 per litre in Nigeria, while the average price on the Saudi side was around $0.68 per litre.

“Airlines structured their fares, logistics, and operational plans around these benchmarks. Today, however, the situation has changed dramatically.

“Across major departure points such as Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Maiduguri, Yola, Sokoto and Birnin Kebbi, Jet A1 is now being sold for as much as N3,000 per litre.

“This represents a 200 per cent increase from the original price used in contract projections,” he said.

According to him, the sharp rise has placed airlines in a difficult financial position.

He stated, “If they are forced to absorb the increased fuel cost, many may be operating at a loss.

“If pilgrims are made to absorb it, Hajj fares will rise sharply. If government intervenes, it may require emergency support mechanisms despite the removal of Hajj subsidies in Nigeria.”

Mr Gamawa said that for a single aircraft consuming 70,000 litres of Jet A1 per flight, at the contract benchmark of N1,000/litre, N70 million would be required, while at N2,500/litre, N175 million would be required.

“Even if the Nigerian government or local suppliers stabilise Jet A1 prices for the first leg of the Hajj operation from Nigeria to Jeddah or Medina, the return flight remains a major unresolved challenge.

“The price of Jet A1 on the Saudi side has reportedly risen from around $0.68 per litre at the time the Hajj contract was signed to approximately $1.40 per litre now.

“That is more than a 105 per cent increase in dollar terms. For airlines, this creates a double burden: Outbound leg,” he said.

He noted that unlike Nigeria, where intervention might come through policy or local refinery arrangements, airlines lifting pilgrims back home from Jeddah must buy fuel at prevailing international market rates in foreign currency.

(NAN)