The Federal Authorities has reinstated the $300 offshore helicopter touchdown levy, shifting the burden of fee from helicopter operators to grease corporations.
This growth was revealed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Improvement, Festus Keyamo, throughout an interview on Come up TV on Tuesday.
The Minister defined that whereas helicopter operators initially protested the payment, they ultimately agreed to its implementation after participating in dialogue. Nonetheless, the operators insisted they need to not bear the associated fee themselves, since they lease their helicopters to grease corporations.
They argued that absorbing the levy would pressure them to lift their constitution charges, which might in the end impression the oil corporations that rent their companies.
“There was a number of rancor, particularly among the many airline operators of Nigeria, over the helicopter touchdown levy. So I suspended it. I stated, Look, I stated to a small committee, look into this. Is that this follow present wherever on this planet?
“The airline operators that protested had been a part of that committee. So I informed them (the committee), until you attain an settlement with the airline operators, I can’t go on with this. So the airline operators went into dialogue with them (the committee).
“And so they (the committee) did agree on the finish of the day. Airline operators have agreed and signed. I’ve the doc agreeing to the payment,” Keyamo acknowledged.
He added, “However they (airline operators) stated, they won’t be those paying. As a result of they (airline operators) lease their helicopters out to grease corporations. In the event you (the committee) cross it (the helicopter touchdown levy) on to them (airline operators), they’ve to extend their constitution payment. So now, the final vestige of that is now the oil corporations.”
The Aviation Minister, nonetheless, revealed that oil corporations have raised objections to absorbing the levy, main him to ascertain a committee to handle their considerations.
Minister Festus Keyamo defined that the offshore helicopter touchdown levy was launched earlier than his tenure, beneath agreements signed by the earlier administration.
Following an in depth evaluate, a committee together with airline and helicopter operators confirmed the levy aligns with worldwide requirements and may proceed. Nonetheless, they agreed that fee accountability ought to shift from helicopter operators to the oil corporations that lease the helicopters.
The Minister emphasised that this levy is authorities income and never non-public revenue.
In April 2024, the Federal Authorities licensed Messrs NAEBI Dynamic Idea Restricted to gather a $300 helicopter touchdown levy at Nigerian aerodromes, helipads, floating manufacturing storage and offloading (FPSO) items, floating storage and offloading (FSO) items, and oil platforms.
