The federal government has reinstated the $300 helicopter landing fee, stirring fresh debate across Nigeria’s aviation and oil and gas sectors.

In a circular dated May 15, 2025, Akut D.S., General Manager of Air Traffic Control Operations at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), directed NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Ltd to resume collecting the levy for all helicopter landings at oil company facilities, including rigs, terminals, helipads, and aerodromes.

NAEBI has been instructed to immediately invoice all affected companies, reviving a fee initially introduced in 2023 but suspended in May 2024 due to industry opposition.The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had earlier challenged the levy, arguing that NAEBI lacked the legal mandate to impose the charge.

AON stated that NAEBI’s role was limited to certifying privately owned helipads and questioned the justification for a $300 landing fee.In May 2024, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo suspended the levy, citing stakeholder concerns and setting up a review committee to evaluate its legality and implementation.

This committee included representatives from the ministry, NAMA, AON, international oil companies, and NAEBI, with recommendations due in June 2024.

However, the findings have not been publicly released.NAMA maintains that the levy complies with the NAMA Act 2022, which mandates the agency to provide navigational services for aircraft operations.

But critics contend the Act does not explicitly empower third-party contractors like NAEBI to collect such fees.Despite previous attempts to reinstate the fee—such as at an aviation conference in November 2023, which was quickly retracted—the suspension has now been lifted.

NAEBI will begin enforcing the fee once more, though industry pushback is expected to continue.