•Wale Edun
The federal government has directed importers to regularise duty payments and clear improperly imported vehicles within 90 days.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to allow affected vehicle owners and their agents to do so within the stipulated time.
NCS Public Relations Officer Abdullahi Maiwada made this known in a statement yesterday.
He said:“While we strive for inclusivity, it is important to clarify that vehicles seized and condemned will not be released under this arrangement and shall be forfeited to the Federal Government by extant regulations.”
Maiwada added that vehicle owners, importers and agents seeking to regularise import duties are required to apply to the Zonal Coordinators (Zones A, B, C, D) and CAC FCT Command.
He said the affected importers must submit the necessary documents and process vehicle registration (Vreg) in line with the Federal Ministry of Finance directives for the registration of imported motor vehicles.
He stressed:“Import duty and a 25 per cent penalty shall be paid in tandem with the import guidelines, procedures, and documentation requirements for used vehicles under the Destination Inspection Scheme in Nigeria (2013) and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.”
The PRO said duty payments must be made, using the procedure code specifically created for this exercise.
Maiwada said the grace period reflected government’s unwavering commitment to facilitating compliance, urging those affected to capitalise on the opportunity within the stipulated period.
