May 28, 2025
By Idris Buba
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has revealed that the federal Government has reinstated the $300 offshore helicopter landing levy.
According to the minister, in an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, the new development shift the burden of payment from helicopter operators to oil companies.
The levy was suspended about a year ago after helicopter operators protested its fairness, particularly because a private company, Messrs NAEBI Dynamic Concept Limited, was collecting the fee on behalf of the government.
Kayamo, explained that though the helicopter operators initially protested the fee, they however after engaging in dialogue succumbed to its implementation.
The operators insisted they should not bear the cost themselves, since they lease their helicopters to oil companies.
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They argued that absorbing the levy would force them to raise their charter fees, which would ultimately impact the oil companies that hire their services.
“The airline operators that protested were part of that committee. So I told them, unless you reach an agreement with the airline operators, I will not go on with this. So the airline operators went into dialogue with them.
“And they did agree at the end of the day. Airline operators have agreed and signed. I have the document agreeing to the fee,” Keyamo stated.
The minister further added that, “But they (helicopter operators) said, they will not be the ones paying. Because they rent their helicopters out to oil companies. If you pass it on to them, they have to increase their charter fee. So now, the last vestige of this is now the oil companies.”
Since the oil companies have raised objections to absorbing the levy, Kayamo had to establish a committee to address their concerns.
Keyamo, explained that the offshore helicopter landing levy had been introduced before he assumed office as minister, under agreements signed by the previous administration which mandated charges on landing at offshore helipads, a common practice worldwide to ensure agencies like the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) have funds to cover their operations.
Following a detailed review, a committee including airline and helicopter operators confirmed the levy aligns with international standards and should continue. However, they agreed that payment responsibility should shift from helicopter operators to the oil companies that lease the helicopters.
