Customs Issues Two-week Deadline to Private Jet Owners to Pay Duties

Private jets owners risk having their airplanes impounded by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) if they  fail to pay the appropriate duties to the Federal Government of Nigeria before August 6 when another two weeks grace period would have expired.

The Customs PRO explained that some of the planes came into the country through temporary importation agreement which allowed their owners to bring the jets without payment because it was secured by a bond.

Attah said that many of the owners reneged on the payment at the expiration of the agreement.

He said the NCS carried out verification exercise to ensure that the owners of private aircraft paid required duties to the government.

According to him, the verification provided the opportunity to the NCS to differentiate those planes in the country that were on commercial operations from those used for private purposes.

Attah said that the Service has again extended the deadline for compliance by the affected private jet owners by two weeks which he said commenced from Monday, July the 26, to Friday, August the 6.

He said those who failed to adhere to the agreement would be made to pay the duties.

“Considering the rising number of compliance and the number of jets that are liable for payment of duties as well as indications by those people to do so, the Comptroller-General has again graciously given them another two weeks.

“The exercise as I stated in our previous briefings, is not intended to be punitive or to embarrass them but to ensure that these private jets that operate in the country are properly documented.”

He said the exercise was carried out to ensure every collectable revenue is paid into the coffers of the federal government.

He further added: “As you all know the case of increasing economic challenge, every source of revenue is important to the government and beyond that, for security purpose.

“With this, you can now tie proper ownership to every aircraft or private jet that flies into and out of the country. Through the exercise, we have been able to know those hiding under temporary importation agreement.

“We are aware that owners of private jets are highly placed Nigerians who should be respected and approached in a manner that provides all necessary convenience and that is what these extensions stands for.”