Now that the combined clique of domestic carriers have made the unanimous decision to buy Jet A1 fuel from the Dangote Petrochemical Refinery, that might be what local tourism needs, a situation where Nigerians can jump on a plane and connect with a hilly side they tracked on a destination magazine will be good to raise revenue for their country as well as ease the burden of pricey airfares.

His position stemmed from the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) deciding to steer clear of imported Jet A1 which is remarkably exposed to the whims and caprices of the international oil industry. But if the operators strictly buy from the Dangote refinery, they will be insulated.

It goes beyond buying locally from the 650,000 barrels per day plant, a 29-July-issued directive from President Bola Tinubu had asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to sell crude oil to domestic refineries by piloting with Dangote starting from Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day Anniversary this past 1 October.

Yesterday while being interviewed on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm

Mr Keyamo said the Airline Operators of Nigeria just met. At the meeting an agreement was carved into existence stating that all of them will no longer buy imported fuel, says the minister.

It was important for him to note that he helped facilitate that. Just like when he flew out with stakeholders to Washington, United States in August to secure a partnership with plane manufacturer Boeing. The goal was to help home-grown airlines modernise their fleet of ageing aircraft.

The minister revealed that it is the decision of the Airline Operators of Nigeria with my push and blessing that they should only buy from Dangote Refinery, the Jet A1.

Although all seems set to kick off the naira-for-crude sales, the wave of having such an initiative hasn’t been felt. The cost of petroleum products remains high, which analysts say might be down to old expensive supplies still being sold at filling stations.

Oil marketers and the consumers they serve still wonder if the $20billion-worth Dangote refinery getting crude oil supplies in local currency instead of in the United States dollar was any closer to coming true as they have been looking at the price tag hanging around premium motor spirit pumps.

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The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development says it is. He confirmed that yesterday [Dangote] started the naira for crude purchase, which translates to supplies being bought in naira, no dollar component.

He says fuel will not be subjected to the vagaries of the international market or the headwinds of oil prices in the international market.

It will be [in] our local currency so we can be clear as to the cost of it in naira and we will buy in naira. I am sure we are going to have access to cheaper jet A1 fuel.

There are several tourist destinations spread across Nigeria but the citizens might not be experiencing them as much as they should. Despite military interventions the roads are still seen as not being safe enough to travel and those who do feel like they are taking a risk.

Costly airfares are deterrents leading people to the inter-city highways but maybe now with the aerospace minister Festus Keyamo’s vision for the future, both tourists and business people are closer to convenient options to pick from.

Meiza Nigeria