The Federal Government has ordered a temporary suspension of the enforcement and collection of helicopter landing fees imposed on oil and gas operators after concerns were 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 at the headquarters of the aviation ministry in Abuja.
A statement signed by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications, said the meeting brought together officials from both the aviation and petroleum sectors to discuss the implementation of the helicopter landing fee prescribed by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) for helicopter operations carried out by International Oil Companies operating in Nigeria.
The petroleum sector delegation included the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, as well as representatives of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG).
Officials of the aviation ministry present at the meeting included the outgoing Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Yakubu Adam Kofarmata; the Managing Director of NAMA, Engr Umar Farouk; senior officials of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); and other stakeholders in the aviation sector.
During the meeting, oil industry representatives expressed concern that the continued enforcement of the statutory fee on helicopter operations servicing oil facilities could disrupt critical operations within the sector.
The fee applies to helicopter operations involving 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.
Following deliberations, Keyamo directed the temporary suspension of the enforcement and collection of the helicopter landing fees for an initial period of two months.
The minister also announced that an inter-ministerial committee comprising representatives from the aviation and petroleum sectors will be constituted immediately to examine the issues raised and work towards an amicable resolution that will produce an acceptable framework for all stakeholders.
Both ministers reaffirmed the commitment of their respective ministries to continued collaboration in ensuring that regulatory policies support operational efficiency in the aviation and petroleum sectors, which remain critical pillars of the Nigerian economy.
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