Customs Grants 223 Importers 21-day Ultimatum Over N379.6bn Duty Violations

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to 223 importers who have defaulted on the terms of their Temporary Admission Permits (TAP).

The grace period, which takes effect from Monday, July 28, 2025, was announced on Friday by the NCS national public relations officer, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, to importers who have defaulted on the terms of their Temporary Admission Permits (TAP).

According to Maiwada, the affected importers are advised to take immediate steps to regularise their importation status by either applying for a valid extension, re-exporting the items under Customs supervision, or converting the goods to home use, subject to the payment of appropriate duties.

LEADERSHIP reports that temporary Importation is a regulated concession under international and national Customs frameworks, including the Revised Kyoto

Convention (RKC) and Sections 142 to 144 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

It allows the temporary admission of goods into the country without full duty payment, provided such goods are re-exported within a specified period without alteration beyond normal depreciation.

The Customs PRO, however, disclosed that recent compliance checks by the Service revealed that 223 Companies have failed to adhere to the conditions of the TAP regime. These defaults amount to a total bond value of N379.6billion.

“These importers neither re-exported the goods nor fulfilled their obligation to convert them to home use by paying the necessary duties. By law, all TAP beneficiaries are required to secure their duty exemption with bank bonds, which serve as financial guarantees in case of non-compliance.

“Typically, TAPs are granted for 12 months, extendable by another year, and under special consideration, a further extension of six months plus a final six-month grace period. Failure to comply after these periods constitutes a breach.”

The Customs PRO further stated that the 21-day grace period serves as a final window for affected importers to take corrective action.

He, however, threatened that at the expiration of this deadline, the Service will commence enforcement actions, which may include bond invocation, imposition of penalties, and legal proceedings.

“In line with Section 143 of the NCS Act 2023, the Nigeria Customs Service is empowered to discharge the bond value as Customs duty into the Federal government’s account if the importer fails to meet the stated obligations.

“The 21-day grace period, therefore, serves as a final window for affected importers to take corrective action. At the expiration of this deadline, the Service will commence enforcement actions, which may include bond invocation, imposition of penalties, and legal proceedings.

“The Nigeria Customs Service, under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, remains fully committed to enforcing regulatory compliance, protecting national revenue, and maintaining the integrity of the TIP framework.

“Stakeholders and the trading public are advised to take advantage of this grace period and avoid actions that could result in sanctions,” Maiwada stated.