Customs gives importers deadline to clear abandoned goods or forfeit them

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has issued a 30-day notice to importers to clear goods in 164 containers abandoned at ports or forfeit them to the Nigerian government.

The NCS said in a notice on Monday that the container-loads of goods were domiciled at the Ports and Terminal Multipurpose Limited in Lagos

“Accordingly, importers and agents of the overtime goods are given a 30 days grace period from the date of publication to process and clear their goods or forfeit the same to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the NCS said.

The service said it issued the notice on 10th July and had published it on Monday “for the information of the public.” It has similarly gazetted the information on the overtime containers.

The NCS stated that it was acting in accordance with Section 97 (8) of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA).

The notice also provided various numbers to the 164 containers for ease of identification by the importers and their agents.

In his reaction to the development, Frank Ogunojemite, President of Africa Association of Professional Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria demanded that the NCS enquire why some containers are not cleared considering that some importers abandoned their cargoes after being frustrated by the clearing process.

“Some of the owners may be staying abroad and may not know about this development. At times, it might not be because of money,” he added.