By Mary Izuaka

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The federal government has retained the $300 per-landing helicopter levy for Air Navigational Services but exempted landings at private offshore oil facilities and platforms from the Terminal Navigational Charge (TNC).

The decision was contained in a circular dated 18 August with reference No. NUPRC/1127/Vol.13/7 issued by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and signed by its Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan.

The circular was addressed to all upstream petroleum operators, licensees, lessees and their helicopter service providers.

The review follows concerns raised by the commission over the introduction, structure and implementation of the levy, which prompted the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to constitute a Ministerial Review Committee on 9 March 2026.

Members of the committee included representatives of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and NAMA’s appointed collection consultant. The NUPRC was also represented.

Key resolutions

“Following its review, the Committee concluded as follows: The Levy of US$300 (Three Hundred United States Dollars) per landing is retained and remains payable to NAMA through its approved collection mechanism.

“The Terminal Navigational Charge (TNC) is payable only in respect of a landing at a government-owned aerodrome and does not apply to a landing at a private offshore facility or platform.

“It remains applicable to helicopter operations not undertaken in support of upstream petroleum operations, including medical evacuation, private charter and agricultural operations,” the circular reads.

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NUPRC said the levy is to be treated as a statutory air navigation charge for cost reporting purposes.

“The commission will communicate the applicable classification and reporting requirements, including the treatment of any cost element previously recorded in respect of the TNC for upstream helicopter services, through the relevant instruments.

“NAMA is to deploy low-altitude flight monitoring and surveillance systems in the interest of national security and airspace governance, for which flight manifests, movement logs and offshore activity data will be required.

“The requirements in that regard fall within the mandate of NAMA and will be communicated by NAMA; and 5. No new or revised fee, levy or charge having a direct impact on upstream petroleum operations should be introduced without prior consultation with the Commission and other relevant stakeholders, in accordance with section 25 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021,” it said.

Directive to operators

“All upstream petroleum operators, licensees, lessees and their helicopter service providers are requested to take note of the foregoing and to align their contractual, invoicing and cost-recovery arrangements accordingly,” NUPRC said.