The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) may soon recommence the collection of the controversial $300 landing fee on helicopter operators in the country soon.

This is coming six months after the federal government suspended the levy over protest from airline operators.

Recall that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, had engaged NAEBI Dynamic Concept to collect the fee.

But the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, in May 2024 suspended the $300 landing fee for helicopter operators.

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He, however, said that further actions on the matter would be taken after a review committee submits its report for scrutiny.

Speaking at the ongoing 53rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA) on Thursday in Kano, Director of Air Traffic Services, NAMA, Mr. Tayo John, said that the collection of the fee would ease the agency’s current financial burden.

Presenting a paper: ‘Financial Constraints Affecting Nigeria’s Air Navigation Provision: Impact and Mitigation Strategies,’ John stated that the Federal Government prevailed on it to drop the fee when it commenced its collection a few months ago.

He however said the agency is putting in place modality to recommence the collection of the levy from helicopters taking off and landing from oil rig platforms and private helipads across the country.

The director was however silent on when the agency would resume the collection of the levy.

He said: “In the next few weeks, we will recommence the collection of $300 landing fee from helicopter operators. We started earlier, but the government directed us to suspend it then due to some issues in the country then, but this time around, we will resume the collection.”

John in his paper further emphasised that the cost of providing the navigation aids, Air Traffic Management (ATM) equipment and maintaining the required workforce by NAMA was very huge.

He also lamented the deduction of 50 per cent of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of NAMA into the federal purse, adding that the agency also pays 10 per cent of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) remittance to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

Some of the other financial constraints faced by NAMA included budgetary limitations, revenue collection issues, high operational costs and dependence on foreign exchange, among others.

According to him, these financial constraints limited the agency’s capacity to fulfil set targets, geared towards the mandate to provide safe, reliable, and efficient air navigation services.

“These constraints hinder our ability to modernise equipment, maintain infrastructure, and ensure consistent training for our personnel,” he said.

Ademola Adedayo in his presentation on “Safety Implications in fiscal constraint and political interference” said fiscal constraint and political interference has safety implications.