The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered a temporary suspension of the enforcement of helicopter landing fees charged on oil and gas operations, following concerns raised by industry stakeholders.
The decision was announced on Monday after a meeting between Keyamo and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, alongside a delegation from the oil and gas sector at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
The petroleum industry delegation included the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, as well as representatives of International Oil Companies operating in Nigeria, the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG).
Key officials from the aviation sector also attended the meeting, including the outgoing Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Yakubu Kofarmata, and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Umar Farouk, alongside senior officials of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The meeting was convened following complaints from oil industry operators over the enforcement of helicopter landing fees prescribed by NAMA for helicopter operations supporting offshore and onshore oil and gas activities.
The charges apply to helicopter movements to and from oil fields, terminals, offshore platforms, drilling 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.
Industry representatives warned that enforcing the fees under the current structure could disrupt critical operations within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
After extensive deliberations, Keyamo directed that enforcement and collection of the helicopter landing fees be suspended 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 set up immediately to review the concerns raised and develop an acceptable framework for all stakeholders.
Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration between the aviation and petroleum sectors, stressing the need for regulatory policies that support operational efficiency in industries considered vital to Nigeria’s economy.