…sets up review committee
By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal Government has announced the suspension of the compulsory $300 helicopter landing fee imposed on oil companies operating in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this during a meeting with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, and a delegation from the oil and gas industry at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
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The delegation from the petroleum sector included the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, alongside representatives of International Oil Companies operating in Nigeria, the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG).
Also present at the meeting were senior officials of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), led by its Managing Director, Umar Farouk, as well as representatives of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other stakeholders in the aviation sector.
The meeting was convened at the request of petroleum industry stakeholders who expressed concerns about the enforcement of the helicopter landing fee prescribed by NAMA for helicopter operations conducted by International Oil Companies.
The fee applies to helicopter operations on oil fields, terminals, offshore platforms, rigs, Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facilities, as well as heliports, helipads, airstrips, and aerodromes used in oil and gas operations.
According to industry representatives, the continued enforcement of the statutory charge in its current form could disrupt critical activities within the petroleum sector.
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Following extensive deliberations, Keyamo directed the temporary suspension of the enforcement and collection of the helicopter landing fee for an initial period of two months.
He also announced that an inter-ministerial committee comprising representatives from the aviation and petroleum sectors would be established immediately to review the issues raised and develop a mutually acceptable framework.
Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to sustained collaboration between their ministries to ensure that regulatory policies support operational efficiency in the aviation and petroleum sectors, which remain vital pillars of Nigeria’s economy.
