“Full List”: Private Jet Owners Panic as FG Moves to Ground 60 Aircraft over Import Duty Violation

• The Nigeria Customs is set to ground over 60 private jets over import duty violations
• A document sent to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NCAA) shows that the enforcement will commence on October 14, 2024
• The Nigeria Customs Service has reportedly sent the list of the affected private jets to airport authorities to effect the directive

Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.

The Nigerian government, via the Nigeria Customs Service, will ground over 60 private jets owned by prominent Nigerians over import duty violations on Monday, October 14, 2024.

Documents exchanged between the Customs and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NCAA) show that the enforcement will commence on October 14, 2024.

Clergymen and businesspeople are affected

Reports show that duties are paid on only some private jets operating in the country. Customs seeks to recover the unpaid duties, which run into several billions of naira.

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The development led to Customs carrying out a one-month verification exercise on all private jet owners in Nigeria between June and July this year.

The new decision to ground the jets comes almost three months after the Customs verification exercise.

Punch reports that private jets belonging to some top business owners, including chairmen and top bank executives, would be stopped from operating.

According to the report, the Customs have already notified the affected persons.

The list of affected private jets

The documents show that most affected aircraft are foreign-registered but owned by Nigerians.

The list includes some of the luxury aircraft on the list: Bombardier Challenger 604 CL-600-2B16, Bombardier Challenger 3500, Bombardier BD-700 Global 6000, Bombardier BD-700 Global 6500, and Bombardier BD-700 Global 7500. Each Bombardier BD-700 Global 7500 is estimated to cost over $70 m, while the Global 6500 and 6000 versions cost over $50m.

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While 11 owners have been notified about their aeroplanes' grounding, 55 others will receive their letters on Monday, October 14, 2024.

Customs to generate N260 billion from exercise

Reports say operators of the US-registered Gulfstream G650ER jet belonging to a prominent Nigerian bank reportedly paid N5.3 billion as import duty to avoid being grounded.

Per the report, three aircraft listed for grounding have been flown out of the country. However, the Customs said the jets would be grounded when they return.

The Customs reportedly project to generate about N260 billion from the enforcement exercise.

According to the findings, Customs wrote to the NCAA and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) asking that the aircraft be denied flight clearance until the duties are paid.

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Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng