The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has insisted that no new or revised fee, levy, or charge that directly impacts upstream petroleum operations should be introduced without prior consultation with the Commission and other relevant stakeholders, citing Section 25 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021. The Commission stated this in a circular dated […]
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has insisted that no new or revised fee, levy, or charge that directly impacts upstream petroleum operations should be introduced without prior consultation with the Commission and other relevant stakeholders, citing Section 25 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021.
The Commission stated this in a circular dated August 28, 2026, addressed to all upstream petroleum operators, licensees, lessees and their helicopter service providers, and signed by its chief executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, following the conclusion of a Ministerial Review Committee’s assessment of the Helicopter Levy for Air Navigational Services.
NUPRC said the committee, inaugurated by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development on March 9, 2026, to review concerns raised by the Commission on behalf of upstream stakeholders, resolved that going forward, “no new or revised fee, levy or charge having a direct impact on upstream petroleum operations should be introduced without prior consultation with the Commission and other relevant stakeholders.”
The Commission grounded this position in Section 25 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, signalling that the dispute which trailed the introduction of the helicopter levy, and which necessitated months of inter-agency review, should not recur without industry input.
The review 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, also addressed the substance of the levy itself.
NUPRC disclosed that the $300 levy per helicopter landing would be retained and remains payable to NAMA through its approved collection mechanism.
On the contentious Terminal Navigational Charge (TNC), the Commission clarified that it “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.
It said the TNC would, however, remain applicable to helicopter operations not undertaken in support of upstream petroleum operations, including medical evacuation, private charter and agricultural operations.
NUPRC further stated that 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 the treatment of any cost element previously recorded in respect of the TNC for upstream helicopter services, 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,” which it said would require flight manifests, movement logs and offshore activity data from operators. It noted that the specific requirements fall within NAMA’s mandate and would be communicated separately by the agency.
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.
