…as Customs seizes 870 smuggled vehicles worth N3.88bn in 15 months
By Efe Onodjae
Fresh revelations from stakeholders in the automobile and maritime sectors have identified high vehicle clearing costs, port delays, and freight charges as major reasons many Nigerians patronise neighbouring countries and resort to smuggling vehicles into the country.
This comes as statistics obtained from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) show that no fewer than 870 vehicles were seized between 2025 and the first quarter of 2026 over violations linked to importation and smuggling.
According to the Customs seizure report, a total of 160 seizures involving 870 vehicles were recorded during the period. The affected vehicles had a Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) value of N3.136 billion, while the total Duty Paid Value (DPV) stood at N3.88 billion.
