Operators of the automobile industry have suggested to the Federal Government of Nigeria to ban vehicles imported into the country through neighbouring ports.
The car traders said that ban of vehicles from across the border will boost government revenue from the Nigerian seaports and will also bring smuggling of vehicles into the country to its barest minimum.
Speaking with Auto Port Weekly in Lagos last week, the fairly used automobile dealers appealed that the government should reduce duty on vehicles imported into Nigeria.
Operators of the automobile industry have suggested to the Federal Government of Nigeria to ban vehicles imported into the country through neighbouring ports.
The car traders said that ban of vehicles from across the border will boost government revenue from the Nigerian seaports and will also bring smuggling of vehicles into the country to its barest minimum.
Speaking with Auto Port Weekly in Lagos last week, the fairly used automobile dealers appealed that the government should reduce duty on vehicles imported into Nigeria.
Director Sunrise Motor Dealers Association; Pastor Andrew Uzor noted that with duty reduction by the government and good infrastructures in place by terminal operators , there won’t be any need to bring vehicles into the country through neighbouring ports.
Uzor stated that countries like Togo and Benin Republic are taking the advantage of Nigerian policy on vehicle importation to boost their economy, adding that poor clearing procedures at Nigerian port gave rise to importers patronising neighbouring ports.
"If government can tackle the poor clearing process at our ports, then we can call for a total ban on vehicles from neighbouring ports, because we are losing huge revenue to them"
It is a clear fact that revenue are being diverted into our neighbouring ports, but the truth is that it is not our making because we as Nigerians we are not willing to go there”, he said.
On his part, Damian Ofoegbu stated that "if the government can reduce duty on importation of cars into the country and tackle the situation of traffic on the access roads, there are possibilities that importers will patronise the Lagos ports".
Ofoegbu added that the risk involved in clearing vehicles from neighbouring ports is high compared to Nigeria, but added that there is need for government to review duty on cars to encourage importation.
He added that ban on importation of vehicles from across the border will boost government revenue from the Nigerian seaports and will also bring smuggling of vehicles into the country to its barest minimum.
"it is the nature of doing business at the ports that make people to go to the border"
"At the neighbouring ports, they are better organised when it comes to clearing of vehicles from their seaports but when you go to our ports, it is something else", he lamented.
Responding also ,another trader, Francis Alaba said ban of vehicles importation from neighbouring ports will boost Nigeria’s economy because according to him, a large number of importers patronise neighbouring ports, adding that ban of such vehicles will further reduce smuggling of cars into the country.
He suggested that "government should just stop vehicles from the border just like what we are experiencing with some items like poultry products"
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