Aviation and petroleum ministries move to review charges after operators warn policy could disrupt offshore operations……
The Federal Government has ordered an immediate suspension of the enforcement and collection of helicopter landing fees imposed on oil and gas operators, following strong 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 high-level meeting with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and representatives of key oil industry bodies at the aviation ministry headquarters in Abuja.
According to a statement released by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the meeting brought together senior officials from both the aviation and petroleum sectors to address mounting concerns surrounding the implementation of helicopter landing charges introduced by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
The charges apply to helicopter operations linked to oil and gas activities, including flights servicing offshore oil fields, production platforms, terminals, rigs, and Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facilities. They also cover operations involving heliports, helipads, airstrips, and aerodromes used in petroleum logistics.
Representatives from the oil and gas sector warned that enforcing the charges at this time could disrupt essential operations that depend heavily on helicopter transport to offshore facilities and remote production locations.
The industry delegation included the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, alongside representatives of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG).
Also present at the meeting were key aviation officials, including the outgoing Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Yakubu Adam Kofarmata, the Managing Director of NAMA, Umar Farouk, as well as senior representatives from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other aviation stakeholders.
After extensive deliberations, Keyamo directed that enforcement of the helicopter landing charges be suspended for an initial period of two months.
During the suspension period, the government will establish an inter-ministerial committee made up of representatives from both the aviation and petroleum sectors. The committee will be tasked with reviewing the concerns raised by industry operators and developing a balanced framework that protects regulatory interests while ensuring that oil and gas operations continue without disruption.
Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration between their ministries, stressing the importance of policies that promote efficiency and stability in both the aviation and petroleum sectors.
They noted that maintaining smooth operations across the two industries remains critical, given their significant contribution to Nigeria’s economic growth and energy security.
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