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By Frank Odinukaeze
The Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) has officially announced the re-introduction of Vehicle Valuation Identification Number (VIN), with effect from Friday, May, 20th, 2022.
The Customs Area Controller(CAC), Apapa Area 1 Customs Command, Comptroller Malanta Yusuf stated this at a public sensitization meeting at the Command’s office in Apapa on Thursday. The Meeting which was attended by freight agents and other stakeholders had the CACs of PTML Customs Command, Comptroller F.O.Ogun; Comptroller Kunle Oloyede of Tin Can Port Customs Command; Comptroller Suwome of KLT Customs Command; Comptroller Anthony Udeze of Federal Valuation and TNT Abuja , present .
Speaking at the occasion Compt. Malanta said there is no going back in the deployment of the VIN valuation, stressing that the VIN valuation system will aid trade facilitation and enhance cargo delivery process, amongst others benefits.
“The system will remove person- to- person contact and all other actions that hinder seamless delivery, “he said.
Compt. Oloyede of Tin Can Customs Command noted that the system would be very transperent and seamless. “It will help to have stastical records of all vehicle coming into the country and would synchronise with other government agencies,he said, A demonstration and presentation of the VIN Valuation system was done by Web Fontaine, an IT company. The presentation and demonstration of the VIN was intended to allow freight agents and s stakeholders have a first hand information of how the system works.
For ease of delivery and fairness, Vehicles are arranged according to their models and the least of the models is used to valuate all vehicles of that model.
For instance, a Toyota Camry of 2016 ,the valuation is $6940 while Mercedes 4Matic 2013 valuation is $11538.
The Nigeria Customs warned freight agents to desist from false declaration because according to Oloyede there are consequences for false declaration. “If you declare a standard car VIN with non Standard VIN, there is a consequence,” he noted.
Oloyede stated the difference between a standard and non standard VIN, saying, standard VIN has 17 digits while non standard ViN has 13 digits.While standard VIN applies to cars that are not accidented or damaged non standard VIN applies to damaged and accidented cars.
He said if you declare a standard VIN car as Non standard, the consequences are grave.
Oloyede advised agents to be honest in their dealings so that everyone can be happy. ” Use the platform honestly and everyone will be happy”
On the issue of Auto Release,the Customs said “that would have been possible in a sane society ,but in a country where people are not honest,Auto Release cannot be possible.”
Customs said the Auto Release if allowed would be giving room for criminalities because a new car in a container may carry other items and this case how does one release such. For now, auto release is not possible.
Asked if the Nigeria Customs has the capability to sustain this technology and policy of ViN valuation,given the inefficiency of Nigeria’s information technology network and energy sectors ,former president of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Dr Eugene Nweke, said” Customs has the capacity to handle the project .What they need to do is to train their people and asked them to do the right thing always”.
