Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development
Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has defended the recently implemented helicopter landing charge, stating that there is no turning back on it, in spite of protests from local operators and stakeholders.
He maintained that the action is advantageous to the aviation sector and in line with global best practices.
The Nigerian government faced criticism recently for enacting a new policy requiring helicopter operators to pay a $300 landing fee. According to industry experts, the policy places an unjustifiable financial burden on the operators, which would result in a staggering 127% increase in operational costs and a hefty 45% tax burden overall. According to a stakeholder, Nigerian airlines, operators, and service providers are currently having problems, and the industry’s crisis could get worse if excessive airport fees are unintentionally imposed on struggling airlines.
However, in a statement released on Monday, Odutayo Oluseyi, the ministry’s head of press and public affairs, stated that Keyamo had given Naebi Dynamic Concepts Limited the only authority to collect the $300 levy and that this was in accordance with an agreement between the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and NAEBI.
He emphasized that the levy is a cost-recovery measure intended to raise the standard of helicopter operations and that the government wants to use the money collected from lower airspace where helicopters predominate to increase NAMA’s self-sustainability and fund upgrades to security, surveillance, and helicopter operations in general.
The statement read: “The ministry of aviation recognises the importance of helicopter operations in Nigeria’s aviation industry and is committed to implementing international best practices in helicopter operations through its agency – Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). The introduction of helicopter landing levies, which is in line with international best practices to enhance the quality of helicopter operations is a cost recovery measure.
“Helicopter landing levies are commonplace in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and various regions worldwide. For instance, Tallahassee International Airport in Florida began implementing helicopter landing levies under Vector Airport Systems since October 1, 2022. Helicopter landing levies are common across airfields in the United Kingdom, ranging from major commercial ones to small general aviation fields. Typically, helicopter levies match or exceed those for fixed-wing aircraft, varying based on factors like location and services provided.
“The federal government has granted NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Limited exclusive rights to collect helicopter landing levies in line with the MoU between NAEBI Concept and NAMA (focal agency), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). It is instructive to note that NAMA under the Act as amended in 2022 is empowered to collect aeronautical revenues in both the upper and lower airspace to support her self-sustainability. However, over the years NAMA has predominantly relied on the upper airspace for her revenue generation. Government in her wisdom having discovered a lacuna on the lower airspace where helicopter operations is dominant directed NAMA to live up to her responsibilities to enable them generate enough resources to sustain their aeronautical architecture, enhance security and surveillance, and improve the overall quality of helicopter operations in Nigeria. We are confident that this move will improve capacity, efficiency, safety, security, and attract more investment in the aviation industry. We encourage all stakeholders to be committed to this laudable initiative that has followed due processes and procedures and should embrace the new normal.”