The Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development says the introduction of helicopter landing levies is to sustain surveillance and is in line with global best practices.
On April 26, the federal government gave exclusive rights to Messrs NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Limited, an aviation consultancy firm, to collect helicopter landing taxes throughout the country.
In a statement released on Monday, Odutayo Oluseyi, the ministry’s head of press and public relations, stated that the federal government recognises the importance of helicopter operations in Nigeria’s aviation business.
According to Oluseyi, collecting helicopter landing taxes is routine practice in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and several other countries throughout the world.
He stated that Tallahassee International Airport in Florida has been introducing helicopter landing charges “under vector airport systems, since October 1, 2022”.
Oluseyi went on to say that helicopter landing levies were ubiquitous on all airfields in the United Kingdom, from major commercial to minor general aviation fields.
He stated that depending on the area and services provided, helicopter levies are frequently equal to or greater than those for fixed-wing aircraft.
Oluseyi said:
“The Federal Government has granted NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Ltd., 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.”
Oluseyi stated that the government rightly identified a gap in the lower airspace where helicopter activities are prevalent and directed NAMA to meet its commitments to create adequate resources.
He stated that the levies are being collected to “sustain their aeronautical architecture, enhance security and surveillance, and improve the overall quality of helicopter operations in Nigeria”.
According to the spokeswoman, the ministry is sure that the move will increase capacity, efficiency, safety, and security while also attracting greater investment in the aviation industry.
Oluseyi asked all stakeholders to take the initiative and accept the new normal, which follows proper processes and regulations.
