The federal government has temporarily suspended the enforcement of helicopter landing fees for a period of two months following high-level discussions between aviation and petroleum sector stakeholders in Abuja.
The suspension comes after the levy was quietly reintroduced in 2025 without public announcement, according to Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
Speaking to TheCable on Tuesday, Moshood confirmed that the decision followed a meeting on Monday in Abuja between Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, and stakeholders from the petroleum industry led by Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil).
The meeting was convened at the request of petroleum industry stakeholders who raised concerns over the enforcement of helicopter landing fees prescribed by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) for operations conducted by international oil companies.
"The fee applies to operations on oil fields, terminals, platforms, rigs, Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facilities, as well as heliports, helipads, airstrips, and aerodromes used in the course of oil and gas operations," Moshood explained.
Oil industry representatives expressed serious concerns that continued enforcement of the statutory fee, as currently structured, could potentially disrupt critical operations within the sector. The delegation highlighted the potential operational and economic implications of the levy on petroleum activities.
"Following extensive deliberations between both parties, the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development directed the temporary suspension of the enforcement and collection of the helicopter landing fees for an initial period of two months," Moshood stated.
The helicopter landing levy has been a contentious issue between the aviation and petroleum sectors. In May 2024, the Ministry of Aviation had temporarily suspended the levy following stakeholder pushback, just one month after its approval.
However, Moshood confirmed that the levy was reintroduced in 2025, though this was not made public. The quiet reintroduction led to renewed tensions when enforcement began affecting oil industry operations.
Keyamo also announced that an inter-ministerial committee involving representatives from both the aviation and petroleum sectors would be constituted to examine the issues raised. The committee will work towards developing an agreed framework acceptable to all stakeholders.
Moshood emphasized that both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration between their ministries to ensure regulatory policies support operational efficiency in both the aviation and petroleum sectors.
The delegation from the petroleum sector included representatives of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), international oil companies (IOCs), the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG).
Officials of the aviation ministry at the meeting included Yakubu Adam Kofarmata, outgoing Permanent Secretary of the ministry, and Umar Farouk, Managing Director of NAMA, alongside senior officials of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The two-month suspension provides breathing room for stakeholders to negotiate a sustainable framework that balances regulatory objectives with operational realities in the oil and gas sector.
#Aviation #Petroleum #HelicopterLevy #FestusKeyamo #HeinekenLokpobiri #NAMA #OilAndGas #NigeriaNews
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