NAMA denies plans to resume helicopter fee

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has denied reports saying it is planning a reintroduction of the $300 landing fee from helicopter operators in the country.

In a statement by Abdullahi Musa, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, he stated that the issue has been put on hold since May 2024 with the intervention of Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, who, along with the agency is still making consultations with critical stakeholders on the matter. The insinuation therefore is baseless, unofficial and was never in the contemplation of the agency.

“NAMA wishes to use this medium and disabuse the minds of operators and airspace users generally about the said misleading publication.

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“For the avoidance of doubt, the agency as a law-abiding corporate citizen of this country cannot embark on such a venture without recourse to extant rules and adequate input and buy-in from the concerned stakeholders.

“The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) therefore uses this medium to advice helicopter operators to go about their legitimate duties as the agency continues to work assiduously towards ensuring the safety of air navigation in the country,” Musa added.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.