The Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reduced controversial Sea Protection Levy (SPL) on imported vehicles. The levy currently stands at N1200. Even with the reduction, clearing agents and importers have both called on the agency to abolish the said levy.
Autoport Weekly also gathered that since the levy was introduced in January 2013, there has been series of staggering figure of how has accrued so far.
The Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reduced controversial Sea Protection Levy (SPL) on imported vehicles. The levy currently stands at N1200. Even with the reduction, clearing agents and importers have both called on the agency to abolish the said levy.
Autoport Weekly also gathered that since the levy was introduced in January 2013, there has been series of staggering figure of how has accrued so far.
A document sighted by Autoport Weekly revealed that the levy has been changed thrice since the beginning of its collection from importers and their agents.
The document further revealed that from January to April, the SPL on imported used vehicles was put at N1600 per vehicle.
But mid April 2013, the levy was reduced to N800 only for it to increase three weeks after to N1200.
However in a reaction to the staggering SPL on used vehicle imports, Managing Director, Honest Automobile Limited, Maxi Igwe said that NIMASA should not impose the levy on importers, rather it should collect it from shipping companies.
Igwe noted that the vehicles and container importers pay the levy, but added that such charges do not reflect on the document of bulk and general cargoes.
He appealed to NIMASA to compel the multinationals to pay the levy pointing out that used vehicle importers are not the regular businessmen that have to clear consignment from the ports.
The importer however faulted the SPL collected by the apex maritime regulatory agency.
"These are some of the reasons why most of the importers prefer to bring in vehicles through neighbouring ports of West Africa, because the nation's ports are too expensive ",he said.
Meanwhile, a freight forwarder (names withheld) also confirmed to our correspondent that the freight forwarding associations are currently engaging the management of NIMASA over the SPL.
According to the source, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and other freight forwarding groups operating in the maritime industry are brainstorming to tackle the issue of SPL on imported vehicles into the country.
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