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Customs suspends 25% penalty on smuggled vehicles users
The federal government has suspended the 25 percent penalty
imposed on improperly imported vehicles.
This was announced in a statement by Abdullahi Maiwada,
national public relations officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on
Friday.
According to Maiwada, the cancellation was approved by Wale
Edun, minister of economy and coordinating minister of finance, to ease
economic hardship and encourage compliance.
He said the service has also been directed to initiate a
90-day window, effective from March 4, 2024, to July 5, 2024, for the
regularisation of import duties on specific categories of vehicles.
“To ease economic hardship and encourage compliance, the
Honourable Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy has approved the
suspension of the 25 percent penalty previously imposed in addition to import duty
on improperly imported vehicles.”
He told stakeholders, including vehicle owners, importers,
and agents to seize the opportunity to regularise import duty payments within
the designated 90-day timeframe.
On March 3, customs announced a 90-day window for the
regularisation of import duties on specific categories of vehicles.
The service said an import duty and a 25 percent 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 NCS Act 2023.