The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it will grant a licence to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to start importing aviation fuel, otherwise known as ATK.
Mele Kyari, group managing director, NNPC, disclosed this on Monday at the end of the investigative hearing instituted by the house of representatives.
The meeting was to resolve the differences between oil marketers and airline operators on the price surge of ATK.
Airline operators in Nigeria had alleged that some oil marketers were hoarding aviation fuel, thereby causing artificial scarcity.
“As requested by the airline operators of Nigeria, there would be granted licence by their authority to import petroleum products, particularly ATK, so that they can have a way of benchmarking the sales from other customers. They can also bring in cheaper products whenever it is possible,” Kyari said.
He said this in response to the request by AON during the hearing to grant airlines a licence to import aviation fuel.
Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace, said if airline operators could import aircraft that cost millions of dollars, they would not find it difficult to import the aviation fuel.
He emphasised that if the oil marketers do not bring down commodity prices, the airlines could ground operations in three days.
“I wish to announce that if they don’t come down from their rooftop, we have only three days more to operate,” he said.
