The Managing Director of a frontline vehicle importing terminal in Nigeria, Mr. Asconio Russo has expressed his excitement over the Federal Government's ban on importation of vehicles through the land borders.
The Federal Government had announced through the Nigeria Customs Service yesterday that it has placed a ban on importation of vehicles through the land borders with effect from January 1st, 2017.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Mr Wale Adeniyi, the Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Officer, stated that “the prohibition order covers all new and used vehicles”.
Adeniyi also said the ban was sequel to a presidential directive restricting all vehicle imports to Nigeria’s Sea ports only, adding that the order takes effect from Jan. 1, 2017.
“The restriction on importation of vehicles follows that of rice; import of rice through land borders has been banned since April 2016.
“Importers of vehicles through the land borders are requested to utilise the grace period until Dec. 31, 2016 to clear their vehicle imports landed in neighbouring Ports,” Adeniyi said.
But, Russo told Shipping Position Daily exclusively yesterday that his company is in full support of the ban because it will increase the revenue of terminal operators as well as that put an end to revenue lost by the federal government.
He expressed hopes of the Federal Government reviewing the automotive policy, saying that this will go a long way in bringing down the duties payable on the imported vehicles.
He said "We fully support this ban, which we believe is going to halt the huge import of vehicles for the Nigerian market through the ports of neighbouring countries and the haemorrhage of revenues lost by the federal government, the customs and private operators"
"We're confident and hopeful that the government may want to go a step further and review downward the level of duties applied on used vehicles, to make them affordable for the Nigerian people"
Already, our correspondent learnt that the technical committee on the review of the automotive policy headed by the Director General of National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Aminu Jalal, an engineer, has investigated and “cleared grey areas in the implementation of the policy”.
Though tariff was not considered for review by the committee, some stakeholders in the maritime sector are putting pressure on the Federal Government to review downward tariff structure.
Reacting to the news yesterday, an official of the Nigerian Institute of Shipping (NIS) Mr. Seun Olukanni believes that the government's ban on vehicles through land borders would further hike the price of vehicles.
"Our Seaport will get busy and Working again, before that happens Vehicles will be More Expensive, Scarce and Many More People will be buying Registered Nigerian Used Cars. People don't buy Tokunbo Cars they all buying Registered Nigerian Used Cars" he said
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