Why Dangote Refinery Won't Lower Jet Fuel Prices: Festus Keyamo on Airfares & Subsidies

Will air travel in Africa ever be easily affordable? With Jet A1 fuel prices skyrocketing by 70% to 80%, Nigerian airlines and passengers are feeling the immediate impact on ticket prices. In this exclusive AHAN Special Aviation Series interview, I sit down with Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, to ask the question on everyone’s mind: Can the new Dangote Refinery insulate Nigeria from global fuel shocks?

Minister Keyamo delivers a hard truth on the realities of global pricing, definitively ruling out a return to aviation fuel subsidies. Calling subsidies a "retrogressive" trap, he explains why Nigeria must stick to its new non-subsidy economic model—and hints at other "interventions" the government is exploring to save the aviation sector.

In this interview, we cover:

[00:00] The "Double Tragedy" of African Aviation: High costs and poor connectivity.

[01:15] The Jet A1 Crisis: Why aviation fuel has spiked by 80% and its impact on ticket prices.

[02:09] The Dangote Question: Can local refining actually lower fuel costs for local airlines?

[02:40] Global Pricing vs. Local Production: Why selling below market value is a subsidy.

[03:32] "Subsidies are Retrogressive": Keyamo’s firm stance on why the government cannot take a step back into the subsidy trap.

💡 Key Quote: "I think it would be retrogressive to take a step back and begin to think of subsidies again... my fear is that you take one step back, you take two steps back, and before you know it you’re back to full-blown subsidy!" – Hon. Minister Festus Keyamo.

Don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hit the notification bell for more exclusive insights into Africa’s aviation and economic policies!