As preparations intensify for ICAO Aviation Climate Week 2026, debate is growing within Nigeria’s aviation industry over the cost and feasibility of transitioning to Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
SAF is considered the cornerstone of aviation’s net-zero strategy, with global estimates suggesting it could contribute up to 65 per cent of required emissions reductions by 2050.
However, industry operators in Nigeria argue that the high cost of SAF and limited production infrastructure across Africa remain major constraints.
The Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, recently warned that African airlines could be unfairly burdened if global climate mandates are implemented without financial support mechanisms.
Aviation economist Dr. Olumide Ohunayo told DA News that Nigeria has the agricultural feedstock potential to develop a domestic SAF industry.
“Nigeria produces biomass and waste resources that can be converted into aviation fuel. The challenge is policy clarity, investor protection, and refinery capacity,” he said.
Officials at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited have indicated preliminary interest in exploring biofuel blending, though no concrete timeline has been announced.
Industry stakeholders say outcomes from ICAO Climate Week 2026 could determine whether financing platforms such as the ICAO Finvest Hub will support developing countries in scaling SAF production.
Ohunayo added, “If climate financing mechanisms exclude Africa, we will struggle. But if structured properly, this could become an economic opportunity.”
By Oladokun Gbemisola & Odekola Bose
