FG suspends Helicopter landing fees on oil firms

The Federal Government has ordered a temporary suspension of the enforcement and collection of helicopter landing fees imposed on oil and gas operators following concerns raised by stakeholders in the petroleum industry.

The directive was issued on Monday by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, during a meeting with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and representatives of major oil industry groups in Abuja.

According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the aviation minister, Tunde Moshood, the meeting brought together officials from the aviation and petroleum sectors to review the implementation of helicopter landing fees prescribed by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) for helicopter operations linked to oil and gas activities.

Representatives of the petroleum sector, including the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, as well as members of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG), attended the meeting.

Officials from the aviation sector also present included the outgoing Permanent Secretary of the aviation ministry, Dr Yakubu Adam Kofarmata, the Managing Director of NAMA, Engr Umar Farouk, as well as senior representatives of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

During the discussions, oil industry representatives expressed concerns that the continued enforcement of the statutory helicopter landing fees could disrupt critical oil and gas operations.

The fees apply to helicopter services supporting oil facilities such as fields, terminals, platforms, rigs, Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units, and other aviation infrastructure used in petroleum operations.

Following the deliberations, Keyamo directed that enforcement and collection of the fees be suspended for an initial period of two months.

He also announced the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee involving officials from both the aviation and petroleum sectors to review the concerns raised and develop an acceptable framework for all stakeholders.

Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration to ensure that regulatory policies support operational efficiency in the aviation and petroleum industries, which remain vital to Nigeria’s economy.