The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to oil companies and other airline operators to pat helicopter landing levies, or risk sanction, which will include denying or withholding flight clearances.
NEMA in a statement released on Wednesday, said all stakeholders, especially oil and gas operators must fully comply with the prompt payment of helicopter landing levies for air navigation services rendered by the agency within Nigeria’s airspace.
The statement noted that the services cover operations at oil fields, terminals, platforms, rigs, Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units, helipads, airstrips, and aerodromes.
The agency said the directives, which is in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8 and 9 of the NAMA Act 2022, adding that it is exclusively empowered by law to provide and manage air navigation services and air traffic control for aircraft take-off and landing at all public and private aerodromes within Nigerian airspace. Therefore, it said that sanctions will be applied to defaulting operators until outstanding charges have been paid by the operator or a guarantee has been given to the satisfaction of the agency for the payment of the charges.
“In instances where operators persist in unauthorised usage of Nigerian airspace, particularly through private helipads or platforms operating without requisite NAMA clearance and in breach of national security protocols, the agency shall seek the approval of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development to shut down and relocate such facilities utilized in connection with unauthorised navigational operations within Nigerian airspace in line with Section 8(3) of the Act.
“NAMA calls on all affected oil companies to, within seven days from the date of this publication, formally communicate to Naebi Dynamic Concepts Ltd their proposed payment plans and modalities for applicable air navigation levies. Failure to comply within the stipulated timeframe will trigger appropriate enforcement measures, including the denial of flight clearances for helicopter operations to oil fields, terminals, platforms, rigs, Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units, helipads, airstrips, and aerodromes.
“It is important to emphasise that the enforcement of helicopter landing levies aligns with global best practices and is currently implemented across International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) member states in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. These levies are essential to sustaining the maintenance, upgrading, and acquisition of modern air navigation infrastructure, critical for the safe and efficient management of Nigeria’s airspace, particularly given the growing operations of drones, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft,” NAMA said.