Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria — The federal government of Nigeria has ordered the temporary suspension of helicopter landing fees imposed on oil and gas companies operating in the country after industry stakeholders warned that the charges could disrupt critical petroleum operations.
Okay News reports that the decision was announced on Monday, March 9, 2026, by Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, during a meeting with Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and representatives from major oil industry groups.
The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria in West Africa. It brought together senior officials from both the aviation and petroleum sectors to review the implementation of helicopter landing fees introduced by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the government agency responsible for managing Nigeria’s airspace.
According to a statement issued after the meeting by Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the aviation minister, the discussion focused on concerns raised by oil companies about the impact of the charges on helicopter operations supporting offshore and onshore petroleum activities.
Helicopters play a crucial role in Nigeria’s oil industry by transporting workers, equipment, and supplies to remote production facilities located offshore or in difficult terrain. These operations include flights to oil fields, export terminals, offshore platforms, drilling rigs, Floating Production Storage and Offloading facilities, commonly known as FPSO units, and other aviation facilities used by petroleum operators.
The petroleum sector delegation at the meeting included the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan. The NUPRC is Nigeria’s primary regulatory authority responsible for overseeing upstream petroleum operations, including exploration and production.
Representatives from the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), a group representing major international oil companies operating in Nigeria, and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG), which represents indigenous oil producers, were also present during the discussions.
Officials from the aviation sector who attended the meeting included the outgoing Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr Yakubu Adam Kofarmata; the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engineer Umar Farouk; as well as senior representatives from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the national regulator responsible for aviation safety and oversight.
During the discussions, oil industry representatives expressed concern that enforcing the helicopter landing fees at this stage could disrupt operational logistics in Nigeria’s petroleum sector, which remains the country’s most important source of export earnings and government revenue.
After considering the issues raised by industry stakeholders, Minister Festus Keyamo directed that enforcement and collection of the helicopter landing fees be suspended for an initial period of two months.
The minister also announced that the government will immediately establish an inter ministerial committee composed of representatives from both the aviation and petroleum sectors. The committee will examine the concerns raised by industry operators and propose a workable framework that balances regulatory requirements with the operational needs of the petroleum industry.
Both the aviation and petroleum ministries reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration, noting that regulatory policies must support operational efficiency in sectors that are central to Nigeria’s economy.
The outcome of the committee’s review is expected to determine whether the helicopter landing fee policy will be modified, reinstated, or replaced with a new framework acceptable to both regulators and industry operators.
