The Federal Authorities has reinstated the $300 offshore helicopter touchdown levy, shifting the burden of cost from helicopter operators to grease corporations.

This growth was revealed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Improvement, Festus Keyamo, throughout an interview on Come up TV on Tuesday.

The Minister defined that whereas helicopter operators initially protested the payment, they finally agreed to its implementation after participating in dialogue.

Nonetheless, the operators insisted they need to not bear the fee themselves, since they lease their helicopters to grease corporations.

They argued that absorbing the levy would pressure them to boost their constitution charges, which might in the end impression the oil corporations that rent their companies.

“The airline operators that protested had been a part of that committee. So I instructed them, except you attain an settlement with the airline operators, I can’t go on with this. So the airline operators went into dialogue with them.

“They usually did agree on the finish of the day. Airline operators have agreed and signed. I’ve the doc agreeing to the payment,” Keyamo said.

He added, “However they (helicopter operators) mentioned, they won’t be those paying. As a result of they lease their helicopters out to grease corporations. For those who go it on to them, they’ve to extend their constitution payment. So now, the final vestige of that is now the oil corporations.”

The Aviation Minister, nevertheless, revealed that oil corporations have raised objections to absorbing the levy, main him to ascertain a committee to handle their considerations.

Minister Festus Keyamo defined that the offshore helicopter touchdown levy was launched earlier than his tenure, below agreements signed by the earlier administration.

These agreements mandated fees on helicopters touchdown at offshore helipads, a typical apply worldwide to make sure companies just like the Nigerian Airspace Administration Company (NAMA) have funds to cowl their operations.

Keyamo famous that the levy was suspended a few 12 months in the past after helicopter operators protested its equity, significantly as a result of a personal firm, Messrs NAEBI Dynamic Idea Restricted, was gathering the payment on behalf of the federal government.

Following an in depth evaluation, a committee together with airline and helicopter operators confirmed the levy aligns with worldwide requirements and will proceed. Nonetheless, they agreed that cost duty ought to shift from helicopter operators to the oil corporations that lease the helicopters.

The Minister emphasised that this levy is authorities income and never non-public revenue.

In April 2024, the Federal Authorities licensed Messrs NAEBI Dynamic Idea Restricted to gather a $300 helicopter touchdown levy at Nigerian aerodromes, helipads, floating manufacturing storage and offloading (FPSO) models, floating storage and offloading (FSO) models, and oil platforms.

By June 2024, the levy was quickly suspended following protests from helicopter operators over its equity and assortment course of.

A committee with representatives from the Ministry of Aviation, related companies, airline operators, and Worldwide Oil Firms (IOCs) was shaped to handle considerations and set up a good framework.

After months of dialogue, helicopter operators agreed to reinstate the levy however insisted the cost duty shift from them to the oil corporations leasing their helicopters.

As of Could 2025, the Federal Authorities has formally reinstated the levy, with ongoing efforts to resolve objections from oil corporations via a devoted committee.