NAMA Issues Final Warning on Helicopter Landing Levies, Vows Enforcement Against Defaulting Oil Firms
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has issued a stern directive to all operators within the oil and gas sector, mandating full compliance with statutory provisions for the payment of helicopter landing levies for air navigation services rendered within Nigerian airspace.
The enforcement move affects operations across oil fields, terminals, platforms, rigs, floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units, helipads, airstrips, and aerodromes.
In a public announcement released by the Agency, NAMA underscored its statutory mandate as enshrined in the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) Act, 2022, which empowers it to manage and provide air navigation services for all aircraft operations, including take-offs and landings, across both public and private aerodromes.
Since 2022, the Agency, in partnership with its technical consultant, Naebi Dynamic Concepts Limited, has reportedly issued multiple written communications and held several engagements with oil and gas operators in a bid to foster compliance.
However, NAMA expressed disappointment that these proactive efforts have not resulted in the desired compliance level, attributing this failure to the influence of unnamed individuals undermining regulatory processes.
“The enforcement of helicopter landing levies is not peculiar to Nigeria,” the statement read. “It is in line with global best practices and is actively implemented across International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) member states in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.”
NAMA stressed that the levies are critical for the continuous maintenance, upgrading, and acquisition of modern air navigation infrastructure, particularly in light of the growing complexity of Nigerian airspace driven by increased drone activity, helicopter logistics, and fixed-wing aircraft operations.
Reiterating its legal authority, the Agency cited Sections 8 and 9 of the NAMA Act, which confer exclusive rights to NAMA to provide air navigation services in Nigerian airspace and forbid any other entity from doing so without lawful delegation. Non-compliance, it warned, would attract stiff sanctions.
“Defaulting operators will face enforcement actions, including the denial or withholding of flight clearances until outstanding charges are settled or an acceptable guarantee is provided,” the statement noted.
Furthermore, NAMA declared its readiness to escalate measures against operators engaged in unauthorised use of the airspace, especially those operating private helipads or offshore platforms without proper clearance.
In such cases, the Agency may seek the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development’s approval to shut down and relocate such facilities in line with national security requirements and Section 8(3) of the Act.
The Agency has given affected companies a seven-day ultimatum to communicate their payment plans to Naebi Dynamic Concepts Limited. Failure to do so, it warned, would trigger immediate enforcement measures including suspension of helicopter flight operations to and from affected locations.
NAMA concluded that its current drive is not merely a regulatory exercise but a comprehensive strategy to bolster national security, aviation safety, and sustainable service delivery in Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem.
