LAGOS, Nigeria – After months of warnings, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has grounded more than 60 private jets operating in the country due to alleged failure to pay import duties. The action, which began Monday at major airports including Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja, continued through Tuesday.
Most of the grounded aircraft are foreign-registered and privately owned, operating under the Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) license, which allows personal use without commercial reward.
Sources told THISDAY that Customs officials also sealed several jets at the ExecuJet facility, a free trade zone at MMIA operated by Quits Aviation. This move has triggered backlash from aviation stakeholders, who argue that Customs has no jurisdiction within duty-free zones.
A seal issued by the MMIA Customs Command on affected aircraft warned: “In accordance with Section 221 of the NCS Act 2023, unauthorized removal or tampering with this seal attracts a N100 million fine or 10 years imprisonment, or both.”
Industry insiders have raised legal concerns over Customs’ actions, particularly at ExecuJet, a globally recognized service provider for private jets across West and Central Africa. “ExecuJet is a duty-free zone. What are Customs officials doing sealing aircraft in that jurisdiction?” one source questioned.
This marks the culmination of Customs’ long-standing effort to recover billions of naira in import duties from VIP private jet owners. In 2023, the service had threatened to ground these aircraft but later extended a verification deadline from October 14 to November 14, 2024.
In the past, a similar move by Customs was rejected by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which insisted that foreign-registered jets had not violated aviation regulations. Reacting to the latest development, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Michael Achimugu, said he was unaware of the current enforcement and promised to investigate further.
