A relatively unknown group known as the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) said it has launched Customs duty verification stickers to track payment of tariffs on imported vehicles. The stickers will cost a potential car owner N5,000 each.
The additional burden financial burden on vehicle owners is coming on the heels of the controversy generated as a result of attempts by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to collect import duty on vehicles retroactively. NCS authorities has early this month incurred the wrath of lawmakers when they directed all Nigerian vehicle owners to verify and pay duty on their vehicles irrespective of how long they have owned such vehicles.
AMDON President, Ajibola Adedoyin said yesterday in Abuja that the essence of the stickers to make it difficult to sell smuggled vehicle in the country.
“This development is in collaboration with Nigeria Customs Service. The stickers are fitted with radio frequency identification that contains information readable through the handset (sic),’’ he said.
He urged buyers to acquire the stickers before purchasing any vehicle.
“The sticker contains the vehicle identification number which is for security purposes, the chassis number and the owner phone number. The subsequent stickers to be produced will even contain more information which will include the reference number, which is the Customs port of entry and date of registration which are the requirements to authenticate the genuineness of duty payment as approved by the NCS.
“It is our hope that by our commitment towards this project, we would have been able to reduce the problems (of sales of smuggled vehicles) to the barest minimum,” he said.
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