The Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development convened a sensitization meeting with the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) on Tuesday, focusing on the report of the Ministerial Committee established to review the collection of helicopter landing levies. The meeting, held at the Minister’s Conference Room on August 27, 2024, was chaired by Rita Egbadon, Director of Legal Services at the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
The meeting was prompted by complaints from the AON, leading to the formation of the committee to assess the existing levy collection process and provide recommendations for improvement. According to Odutayo Oluseyi, Head of Press and Public Affairs at the Ministry, the committee’s report has now been adopted by the Ministry.
During the meeting, Egbadon emphasized that helicopter landing levies are a standard practice in global aviation and play a crucial role in contributing to the national economy. She explained that the levies, collected by NAMA on behalf of the Federal Government, are mandatory for providing Air Navigation Services for helicopter landings by oil companies on various sites such as oil fields, terminals, platforms, rigs, Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units, helipads, airstrips, and aerodromes.
Egbadon noted that the committee’s findings confirmed that the legal framework for the levy aligns with the NAMA Act of 2022. She pointed out that similar levy collection processes are in place in countries like India, the United Kingdom, the United States, and across the European Union. The committee’s investigation revealed significant inefficiencies in the previous system, where oil companies were invoiced by third parties, such as helicopter operators, which hindered transparency and compliance.
To address these issues, the committee recommended that oil companies be invoiced directly by NAMA, eliminating the involvement of third parties. This change is expected to reduce complaints from stakeholders, including the AON. Egbadon also mentioned that companies such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited), Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), and INTELS have already complied with the new process.
The Ministry has appointed Naebi Dynamic Concepts Limited to oversee the collection and enforcement of helicopter landing fees. As a result, all oil companies operating on oil fields, terminals, platforms, rigs, FPSO units, helipads, airstrips, and aerodromes are required to comply with the recommendations outlined in the committee’s report.
In response, the AON clarified that it has no role in the collection of helicopter landing levies and assured that no levies should be paid to them or their members. The AON also committed to providing relevant information to all concerned parties to facilitate compliance with the new procedures.
