NAAPE Warns of Flight Safety Risks from Fuel Shortages

The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has issued a statement highlighting the serious risks to flight safety due to disruptions in the supply of aviation fuel, particularly Jet A1. NAAPE President Captain Bunmi Gindeh, in a statement released in Abuja on Sunday, emphasized that the situation requires urgent national intervention.

He warned that fatigue among flight crew members is eroding critical safety margins within the aviation system. Gindeh urged the federal government, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to prioritize the resolution of the Jet A1 supply crisis.

The ongoing shortages have resulted in significant extensions of crew duty times beyond planned parameters, which can impair cognitive function and slow reaction times, thereby endangering flight safety. NAAPE also noted that the global aviation industry recognizes fatigue management as a major safety priority, and prolonged work cycles can impair judgment and emergency response capabilities during flight operations.