Customs still collecting 35% instead of 70 per cent on import vehicles – NCS

The Nigeria Customs Service recently corrected what it admitted as error in the collection of 70 per cent on imported used vehicles, which was reported recently blaming the error on its technical partner, Webfontane.

Speaking with National Daily on the development, Public Relations Officer of PTML Customs Command, Mr. Steve Okonma said that Webfontane had uploaded the 70 per cent duty on the Customs system in error. He however, assured that the mistake has since been corrected.

Okonma said that the Customs is still collecting the 35 per cent duty on used vehicles and 70 per cent on new ones.

“People have been asking me but I have been telling them that there is no circular to that effect, the old rates still existing, we just had a meeting this morning and the CAC said we are still operating on existing 70 per cent for new vehicles and 35% on old vehicles.”

“Yesterday, there was a slight problem we had with Webfontane, when they realized the mistake it was corrected immediately, this was why we did not give out value yesterday, because of the mistake in the system,” Okonma said.

In his own reaction after the closed door meeting with the PTML Customs management, Public Relations Officer of ANLCA, Mr. Ayo Sulaiman said the 70 per cent duty had been reversed.

He said “there was an error recently, the error was made into the system by Webfontane, we came to the Comptroller this morning for a meeting and he told us that Wedfontane acted on their own that there was a no directive, this is very bad of the service providers.”

Many stakeholders had reacted on the sudden duty jerk up by Customs recently and it caused anxiety at the seaports especially the PTML command where clearing agents told Journalists that the changes are already being reflected.