The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has confirmed that the $300 helicopter levy per landing remains applicable to helicopter operations supporting Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry, while clarifying that the Terminal Navigational Charge, TNC, does not apply to landings at private offshore facilities and oil platforms.
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The clarification follows sustained concerns by oil and gas operators and helicopter service providers over the introduction, structure, collection and implementation of helicopter landing charges in the country.
In a circular signed on Monday by the Commission Chief Executive, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, the NUPRC said the $300 levy would remain in force and must be paid to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, through its approved collection mechanism.
The Commission, however, drew a distinction between the statutory $300 air navigation levy and the Terminal Navigational Charge.
“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,” the Commission stated.
According to the NUPRC, the TNC would therefore not be payable for helicopters landing at privately operated offshore petroleum installations and platforms.
The Commission nevertheless clarified that the relevant charges remain applicable to helicopter operations that are not undertaken in support of upstream petroleum activities.
The NUPRC further directed that the $300 helicopter levy should be treated as a statutory air navigation charge for cost-reporting purposes within the upstream petroleum industry.
It said additional guidance would be issued on the appropriate classification of the charge and the reporting requirements that operators would be expected to comply with.
Consequently, upstream operators, petroleum licensees and lessees as well as helicopter service providers have been directed to review and align their contractual, invoicing and cost-recovery arrangements with the new clarification.
The regulatory review also places additional obligations on NAMA to strengthen monitoring of low-altitude helicopter operations.
NAMA is expected to deploy low-altitude flight monitoring and surveillance systems as part of efforts to improve airspace governance, aviation safety and national security.
Under the proposed monitoring framework, relevant operators will also be required to provide flight manifests, movement logs and offshore activity data.
NAMA is expected to communicate the specific reporting requirements and procedures to affected operators.
The NUPRC further warned against the unilateral introduction of additional charges affecting upstream petroleum operations.
According to the Commission, no new or revised fee, levy or charge directly affecting upstream petroleum activities should be introduced without prior consultation with the NUPRC and relevant industry stakeholders.
It said the requirement was consistent with Section 25 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, which provides a framework for consultation and coordination in matters affecting the petroleum industry.
The latest clarification follows a prolonged dispute over the $300 helicopter landing levy involving the Federal Government, aviation authorities, helicopter operators and oil companies.
In April 2024, the Federal Government authorised NAEBI Dynamic Concept Limited to collect a $300 landing levy on helicopter operations at Nigerian aerodromes, helipads, Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels, Floating Storage and Offloading facilities and oil platforms.
The policy subsequently generated opposition from helicopter operators and other stakeholders who questioned the basis, fairness and collection mechanism for the levy.
Following the objections, the government suspended implementation of the charge in June 2024 and established a committee to consider the concerns raised by operators and affected stakeholders.
After further consultations, the levy was reinstated in May 2025, with responsibility for payment shifted from helicopter operators to the oil companies that engage their services.
The controversy nevertheless continued into 2026.
In March 2026, the Federal Government suspended enforcement of helicopter landing fees for two months following a meeting between the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and petroleum industry stakeholders led by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Oil, Heineken Lokpobiri.
Representatives of the NUPRC, international oil companies, the Oil Producers Trade Section and the Independent Petroleum Producers Group participated in the discussions.
The latest NUPRC circular now retains the $300 per-landing levy for helicopter operations supporting upstream petroleum activities, but makes clear that the separate Terminal Navigational Charge applies only to landings at government-owned aerodromes and not to private offshore petroleum facilities or platforms.
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