The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN has reaffirmed the importance of helicopter landing levies as an international best practice to generate aeronautical revenue and enhance helicopter operations in Nigeria.
A statement from the ministry’s head of press and public affairs, Odutayo Oluseyi said the ministry recognises the significance of helicopter operations in Nigeria’s aviation industry and is dedicated to implementing international best practices through the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Limited has been granted exclusive rights by the Federal Government to collect helicopter landing levies.
Keyamo emphasised that the introduction of helicopter landing levies aligns with international best practices to improve the quality of helicopter operations, serving as a cost recovery measure and a source of aeronautical revenue from the lower airspace.
Helicopter landing levies are common in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, India and other regions globally. For example, Tallahassee International Airport in Florida began implementing helicopter landing levies under Vector Airport Systems starting October 1, 2022.
In the United Kingdom, helicopter levies are prevalent across airfields, ranging from major commercial ones to small general aviation fields. These levies typically match or exceed those for fixed-wing aircraft, varying based on location and services.
NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Limited has been granted exclusive rights to collect helicopter landing levies in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NAEBI Concept, NAMA (focal agency), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
NAMA, empowered under the amended Act of 2022, can collect aeronautical revenues in both upper and lower airspace to enhance self-sustainability. While NAMA has historically relied on upper airspace for revenue generation, the focus is now shifting to the lower airspace due to the prevalence of helicopter operations.
The government’s directive for NAMA to fulfill its responsibilities in the lower airspace aims to generate sufficient resources to support aeronautical infrastructure, enhance security and surveillance and improve helicopter operations in Nigeria.
This initiative is expected to enhance capacity, efficiency, safety, security, and attract more investments in the aviation industry. All stakeholders are encouraged to support this initiative, which has undergone due processes and should be embraced as the new normal.
