Aero CEO urges FG to cancel $300 helicopter landing fee in Nigeria, calling it illegal, baseless, and in violation of ICAO standards for cost recovery

The Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Capt Ado Sanusi, has urged the Federal Government to cancel the $300 helicopter landing fee imposed on shuttle operators serving Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

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Under former President Buhari’s administration, NAEBI Dynamic Concept Limited received approval to collect the fee, despite providing no communication, navigation, or surveillance services.

Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo later redirected the charge to oil firms after backlash from helicopter companies.

Last month, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency supported the levy, insisting oil and gas companies must bear the cost. NAMA even threatened to withhold start-up clearance for non-compliance.

Capt Sanusi strongly opposed the move, stating, “That $300 fee is not part of ICAO charges for cost recovery. You must invest before you recover. What investment has been made here?”

He questioned the legitimacy of the firm’s role, citing the absence of any infrastructure contribution. “You’ve not invested anything, and you just put a levy. You are not a government organisation that can tax people,” he said.

Sanusi, a former NAMA MD, also warned that allowing such unauthorised levies could set a dangerous precedent, where arbitrary fees increase unchecked.

Several operators, speaking anonymously, echoed Sanusi’s concerns, calling the fee “illegal”, “unprecedented”, and “a violation of ICAO rules”. One said, “It’s like paying to park in your own garage. Why pay to land on private property?”

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So far, security agencies and regulators have remained silent amid mounting industry criticism. Oil and gas companies have continued to reject the charge.