By Itohan Abara-Laserian

A Trustee of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Capt. Roland Iyayi, has urged the Federal Government to reconsider the $300 landing fee on helicopters.

Iyayi, also the President of Topbrass Aviation Ltd., spoke with journalists on Thursday in Lagos.

He noted that helicopter companies have always complied with tax regulations before this new charge was introduced.

Iyayi joined other aviation stakeholders to oppose the landing fee on helicopters servicing the oil and gas industry.

He said the fee, collected by NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd. For the Federal Government with NAMA?s support, covers aircraft take-off across Nigerian airports.

Iyayi argued that the $300 fee imposes an additional burden on operators and could negatively affect the aviation sector.

He stated that NAMA?s involvement in the charge should have both legislative and regulatory backing.

?When this came up under former Minister Hadi Sirika, we shut it down, as the sector was already burdened with excessive taxes.

?Such fees are harmful to the industry?s growth and development,? he said.

He criticised officials justifying the charge, claiming the funds leave aviation and are not reinvested in the sector.

?In aviation, money earned should go back into aviation development,? Iyayi stressed.

He claimed aviation revenue in Nigeria is diverted to unrelated purposes rather than developing the sector.

?With new tax laws, earnings go to the Nigerian Revenue Service first, worsening conditions for aviation,? he warned.

Iyayi questioned NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd., saying the company provides no infrastructure but uses NAMA?s systems to charge $300 per landing.

He explained that helicopters usually land at facilities owned by their oil and gas clients, not government terminals.

?These are private terminals. Why should an operator pay to use their own facility?? Iyayi asked.

He argued the policy was not properly considered, given government joint ventures with oil firms, often through NNPC.

?In such ventures, the government typically owns about 60 per cent and ends up paying the charges,? he said.

Iyayi cited NAMA?s directive that oil firms, not operators, should pay the landing fee.

He said that ultimately, the government is taxing itself, creating inefficiencies in the system.

?This could lead to contract cancellations as companies try to stick to their annual budgets,? he explained.

He added that such cancellations would hurt helicopter operators the most.

?I don?t believe this was well thought through. Whether oil firms or operators pay, the industry suffers,? he said.

He suggested reducing taxes and ensuring that earnings are reinvested to match infrastructure needs.

Iyayi stressed that NAMA cannot impose new charges without National Assembly approval.

He added that such moves require regulatory concurrence before implementation.

?NAMA should assess how any new charge would affect the industry before enforcement,? he said.

?We condemn the imposition of charges without due diligence or proper impact assessment.

?There are many things that simply do not add up,? he said. (NAN)

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