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.