KEY POINTS
- Private jet owners have an extra month to settle import duties.
- The government plans to ground jets over unpaid billions of naira.
- Operators must comply by the new deadline to avoid sanctions.
The Nigeria Customs Service has extended the verification exercise for private jet owners by one month, from Monday, October 14, 2024, to Thursday, November 14, 2024.
Customs extends deadline to November 14, 2024
In a statement issued Monday, Customs spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada said the extension is intended to further engage operators who have expressed willingness to regularize their import duties. The development follows reports that the government plans to ground more than 60 private jets owned by prominent individuals over unpaid import duties amounting to several billion naira.
According to a report by Business Day, the Customs Service said in a new directive that it has provided an additional window for compliance with the required regulations. “The Nigeria Customs Service wishes to inform the general public, particularly operators of privately owned aircraft, that the verification exercise for the recovery of import duties on illegally imported private aircraft has been extended by one month, from Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, to Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024,” the statement said.
“This extension aims to further engage operators who have expressed willingness to regularize their import duties, providing them with an additional window to comply with the necessary regulations.”
Operators urged to comply to avoid sanctions
The statement added: “The NCS is committed to ensuring that all illegally imported aircraft meet legal requirements, promoting transparency and accountability in the aviation sector.” It also encouraged operators to take advantage of the extended period to avoid sanctions after the new deadline.
“The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, reiterates the service’s dedication to enforcing laws governing import duties and maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s aviation sector,” the statement said.
He also appreciates the cooperation and understanding of stakeholders throughout the ongoing exercise.
