The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a 90-day grace period for the payment of import duties on improperly imported vehicles. This initiative, aimed at enhancing compliance and streamlining import processes, was disclosed by Abdullahi Maiwada, the National Public Relations Officer of NCS, in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.
Maiwada clarified that the grace period applies exclusively to vehicles imported into Nigeria where the required customs duty had not been fulfilled or those detained due to under-valuation. However, vehicles seized and condemned would not be released under this arrangement and would be forfeited to the Federal Government in accordance with existing regulations.
To regularize import duties on their vehicles, vehicle owners, importers, and agents are required to apply to the Zonal Coordinators (Zones A, B, C, D) and CAC, FCT Command. They must submit the necessary documents and process Vreg in line with directives from the Federal Ministry of Finance for the registration of imported motor vehicles.
Import duty and a 25 percent penalty must be paid in accordance with import guidelines, procedures, and documentation requirements for used vehicles under the Destination Inspection Scheme in Nigeria (2013) and the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
Payments of duties must be made using the procedure code specifically created for this exercise. Maiwada emphasized that this initiative demonstrates NCS’s commitment to facilitating compliance and encour
