The Nigerian Customs Service has launched a fresh crackdown on private jet operators who have evaded paying import duty on their aircraft. The move comes after a previous attempt to recover billions of naira in unpaid duties was suspended over a year ago.
According to reports, at least 80 private jet operators are expected to present their aircraft import documents for verification during a 30-day exercise starting on Wednesday. The exercise aims to identify improperly imported private aircraft without documentation and ensure maximum revenue collection.
Operators are required to present documents such as the aircraft Certificate of Registration, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s Flight Operation Compliance Certificate, and Temporary Import Permit (if applicable). Failure to present these documents may result in the grounding of their jets.
The Nigeria Customs Service has been working to recover unpaid import duties from private jet operators who have used technical loopholes to evade payment. Some operators have obtained Temporary Import Permits, which can be extended indefinitely, to avoid paying the statutory import duty.
The government is expected to generate significant revenue from the exercise, with estimates suggesting that up to N100 billion could be recovered in unpaid import duties. However, it is unclear whether private jet operators will cooperate with the government to pay the duties.
In the past, some operators have gone to court to challenge the government’s efforts to collect the revenue. In 2021, 17 owners of foreign-registered private jets sued the government over the import duty default.
The Nigerian Customs Service has confirmed the verification exercise, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday. The agency’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the exercise aims to ensure maximum revenue collection for the Federal Government and that relevant sections of extant laws and regulations will guide the agency’s actions.
