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There are indications that Nigeria earned over N335 billion last year from the $20 security levy imposed by government on travel four years ago.
International air travellers are asked to pay the amount at the height of Boko Haram’s rampage, which serves as funds that helped to fight the dreaded insurgents.
The levy, which is collected on behalf of government by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), is remitted into a dedicated account operated by the regulatory agency and transferred to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by the agency’s banker.
This findings show that the agency, through the airlines, levy all air travellers departing from any international airport in the country the sum of $20 (about 8,000 as at 2016) each, as security levy.
Spokesman for NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, confirmed the existence of the levy to this newspaper, adding that the levy is in-built into air travellers’ tickets and paid into a dedicated account provided by the industry regulator.
A document obtained from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), indicated that over 15 million passengers passed through all the nation’s airports, including international, in 2016.
Out of the 15 million travellers, statistics indicated that about 4,772,331 passed through the nation’s international airports to Europe, American and other countries on the continent.
Each traveller is compelled to pay the sum, which is already added to his or her ticket. Government introduced the ATSC about four years ago to raise additional funds to further combat the menace of Boko Haram, who were gaining strengths and spreading their tentacles to other parts of the country, apart from the core northern states where they held sway.
A source close to the Presidency told our correspondent that part of the fund is what is used to maintain presidential fleet and exigencies. The source said: “Government has been collecting the sum from international and regional air travellers who pass through our airports.
It is the money that they use to fight insurgency and even use it to repair aircraft in the presidential fleet.” Adurogboye, in an interview with our correspondent, confirmed that the levy was introduced towards the twilight of Jonathan’s regime, but could not confirm the specific amount an air traveller is charged by government.
He explained that the essence of the levy was to fight insurgency, stressing that NCAA had, over the years, collected the money on behalf of the Federal Government, which is paid into a dedicated account.
He said: “The levy is not new. It has always been there over the years. It was introduced by the former government, but, NCAA as a regulator of the industry collects it on behalf of government through the airlines and pay it into a dedicated account and government access
It through the CBN.
“Whatever government does with that money, I don’t know.
Ours is to collect for them and deposit in a dedicated account.”
The levy was first introduced by government of Canada in 2002 following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, in the United States of America. Government had undertaken a comprehensive programme to enhance aviation security in Canada.
The Air Travellers’ Security Charge (ATSC) was introduced on April 1, 2002, to fund government’s expenditures on air travel security in Canada. A fee of $12 one way, or $24 return, is charged on all air tickets for travel between two ATSC listed airports.
Since its introduction in 2002, other countries around the world have also adopted the levy to cushion the effect of fighting terrorists and other insurgent groups in their countries.