Nigerian airlines make instant payments for fuel amid scarcity

Airlines operating in Nigeria are now forced to make immediate payments for aviation fuel as the lingering scarcity of the commodity has triggered a rash of flight delays and cancellations in recent days.

Correspondents gathered that before the scarcity of the fuel, airlines usually paid marketers two or three days after the supply of the commodity.

Findings show that despite the high cost of aviation fuel, airlines had since Tuesday adopted what was described as a ‘pay as you go’ strategy as marketers were unwilling to sell to them on credit.

Airlines have, however, described the new measure as sustainable.

Kingsley Ezenwa, spokesperson for Dana Air, told BusinessDay that marketers insisted that amid the high cost of the product, cash must be paid before supply of the product would be made.

According to him, airlines that have been able to meet this demand are getting a steady fuel supply.