NAC Levy Dwindles Vehicle Importation Into Lagos Seaport - Clearing Agents

Abiola Seun

The introduction of 15 percent National Automotive Council (NAC) levy by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has slowed down importation of foreign used vehicles, also known as, tokunbo into the country.

Clearing agents operating at the Tin-Can Island Port complex, on Monday, have revealed.

Speaking, a member of the Association of Nigeria Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Com. Wale Cole said vehicle Importers are skeptical about bringing cargoes into the country.

Cole who is a Presidential Monitoring Task Team Chairman of ANLCA, said, “The levy has slowed down importation because many importers are skeptical, they are holding on for now to see the end of the policy before venturing into importation again.”

“Tin Can Island Port is volatile because of the clearing of vehicles, and because of this, it attracts so many crowd. We can see five person’s following one container of vehicles, while only one person can clear fifty containers of general cargoes without anybody knowing.”

Cole also commended the Customs Area Controller (CAC), of the Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Kunle Oloyede for facilitating trade at the command, saying since the customs boss was posted to the command, trade has increased tremendously.

According to him, before the coming of Comptroller Oloyede, trade facilitation was at it’s lowest ebb, “The challenges that most people have is trade facilitation in Tin Can Island port, the trade has been slow before the new Customs Area Controller came on-board. But believe me, with the new CAC onboard now, trade has improved seriously at Tin Can Island port.

“The CAC is helping seriously by facilitating trade and his doors are always open. I have had one on one encounter with him over a job that took me there, and his approach was very proactive and straight.

“He doesn’t waste time with people’s job, he doesn’t encourage any officer coming late to work or wasting time by keeping SGD under their table” he said

According to him, the valuation department has improved also, he said the only thing causing rancour in vehicle clearance at the port is the 15% levy which is a national issue and not about Tin Can Port alone.