The Nigeria Customs Service has cleared the air on speculations that it has review tarrif on imported used vehicles from 35 to 20 percent saying there are no plans for duty reduction on imported vehicles.
Deputy Comptroller of Customs and the National Public Relations Officer of the service, Timi Bomodi, yesterday, confirmed to The Guardian that the alleged 20 per cent duty rate was “just a mix-up,” stressing that the 35 per cent duty subsists.
Some clearing agents had earlier raised concerns that the duty rate applicable on Common External Tariff (CET) trade portal on vehicles under HS Code 8703 was last Friday reduced to 20 per cent, a development, which created confusion among their colleagues and other stakeholders.
But Bomodi, yesterday, discarded the speculations, saying: “There is no reduction in the duty of vehicles, it was just a mix-up. All of that will be sorted out by Monday.” He added that anyone that made any payment based on the error on the portal would be made to pay the difference.
“Is it not an irony that the agents find it convenient to quickly pay when the duties are reduced but will carry placards when the same duties are increased? We shall deal with the situation and the management will soon come up with its position on the matter,” he said.
