FG Retains $300 Helicopter Levy, Exempts Offshore Platforms From Terminal Navigation Charge

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has said the $300 levy charged per helicopter landing for air navigational services will remain in place, but confirmed that oil and gas operators will not pay the Terminal Navigational Charge (TNC) for landings on private offshore platforms.

The Commission disclosed this in a circular dated August 28, 2026, and addressed to all upstream petroleum operators, licensees, lessees and their helicopter service providers, signed by its Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan.

According to the circular, the decision followed the outcome of a Ministerial Review Committee set up by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development on March 9, 2026, to review concerns the Commission had raised on behalf of upstream stakeholders over the introduction, structure and operation of the levy.

The Commission said the committee, which included the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and NAMA’s appointed collection consultant, concluded that the levy of $300 per landing would be retained and remains payable to NAMA through its approved collection mechanism.

The Commission explained that the TNC would only apply to landings at government-owned aerodromes and would not apply to landings at private offshore facilities or platforms.

The Commission clarified that the Terminal Navigational Charge “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,” a distinction that exempts upstream operators’ offshore installations from the charge while leaving it applicable to non-upstream helicopter activities such as medical evacuation, private charter and agricultural operations.

It said the charge would, however, continue to apply to helicopter operations not linked to upstream petroleum activities, including medical evacuation, private charter and agricultural operations.

NUPRC said the levy would be treated as a statutory air navigation charge for cost reporting purposes, adding that it would communicate the applicable classification and reporting requirements, including how any previously recorded TNC cost element for upstream helicopter services should be treated, through relevant instruments.

The Commission also disclosed that NAMA had been directed to deploy low-altitude flight monitoring and surveillance systems in the interest of national security and airspace governance. It said this would require flight manifests, movement logs and offshore activity data from operators, noting that the specific requirements fall under NAMA’s mandate and would be communicated separately by the agency.

In addition, the Commission said no new or revised fee, levy or charge with a direct impact on upstream petroleum operations should be introduced without prior consultation with NUPRC and other relevant stakeholders, in line with Section 25 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

NUPRC urged all upstream petroleum operators, licensees, lessees and their helicopter service providers to take note of the resolutions and align their contractual, invoicing and cost-recovery arrangements accordingly.