Nigerian Flight Deck Travel and Business Reportage
MAJOR Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), have assured airlines and air travellers that it has Jet A1 (Aviation fuel) in stock and would increase distribution urging them not to panic over aviation fuel scarcity.
This is just as the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) said it has 80 million litres of aviation fuel translating to more than 37 days’ sufficiency.
These reactions are coming on the heels of a revelation by Skypower Express Chief Executive Officer, Captain Mohammed Joji who blamed scarcity of the product for marring its inbound airlift of pilgrims during the hajj exercise.
Executive Secretary of MOMAN, Mr. Clement Isong, who today at a news conference in Lagos, dismissed reports that there was a challenge with the supply of the product in Nigeria, explained that aviation fuel was a deregulated product, so marketers were at liberty to sell based on their cost price.
“There is aviation fuel; there is no problem with it. Our members have it in their tanks. I am not sure why it is not available to airline operators,” he said.
“l can confirm to you that MOMAN members have Jet A1 product in stock and members have increased loading out and selling at our aviation storage tanks.
“We (MOMAN) have also increased loading at our facilities at airports across the country, including our Joint Users Hydrant Installation at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos.
He further assured domestic airlines and Nigerians of availability of aviation fuel in circulation as members commence massive distribution.
He said that marketers had been assured of total support by the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in ensuring massive distribution of aviation fuel across the country.
Isong said that MOMAN was working closely with NNPC to ensure that the lingering challenges were addressed and the Nigeria aviation operations normalized.
Meanwhile, NNPC said it has 80 million litres of aviation fuel translating to more than 37 days’ sufficiency.
It assured airline operators and other consumers of aviation fuel of adequate stock to meet their energy needs.
It advised marketers to refrain from any act that could impede the supply and distribution of the products, while the corporation would do all it could to sustain the seamless supply of the product nationwide.
Recall Captain Joji last week said attempts to purchase fuel in Lagos and Kano were futile, but explained that the airline eventually bought the product at very exorbitant rate, which enabled the airline to continue with the second leg of the exercise.
