The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced the implementation of additional guidelines issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance to operationalise fiscal incentives under the Presidential Gas for Growth Initiative, granting import duty and Value Added Tax ( VAT) exemptions on the importation of specified gas-powered and environmentally friendly vehicles and equipment.

 In a statement issued last week, the Service said the incentives are aimed to support the Federal Government’s broader objectives of reducing transportation and energy costs, encouraging investment in clean energy infrastructure, expanding the adoption of alternative fuel technologies, and strengthening Nigeria’s energy security and environmental sustainability agenda.

 According to the statement signed by Customs spokesman, Abdulahi Maiwada, the approved exemptions include Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fuel vehicles (100% CNG), Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) fuel vehicles (100% LPG), Pure Electric Vehicles (100% Electric), Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs) with a minimum pure electric range of 200 kilometres.

 Others are CNG and LPG conversion kits for petrol and diesel vehicles, tricycles and motorbikes certified for resale by the Federal Ministry of Finance, as well as semi-trailers configured with skid-mounted CNG, LPG, and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) storage tanks for gas distribution.

 The NCS added that importers seeking to benefit from these incentives are required to obtain an Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC) issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance and comply with all applicable regulatory requirements governing the importation of eligible items.

 However, the NCS clarified that several categories of vehicles and related items remain ineligible for the fiscal incentives and will continue to attract Import Duty and VAT.

 “The approved fiscal framework provides that some specific categories of vehicles and related items shall remain subject to the payment of Import Duty and VAT.

These include Hybrid Electric  Vehicles (such as Electric/Petrol and Electric/Diesel variants), dual-fuel Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles configured for CNG/Petrol or CNG/Diesel operations, luxury vehicles valued at USD 100,000 and above, CNG vehicles converted overseas without factory-fitted CNG capability, semi-trailers and flatbeds that are not self-driven or operated under their own mechanical drive, and spare parts of all kinds, ” the statement said.

 The Service, under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and his management team, said it remains committed to the effective and transparent implementation of these incentives and urges all stakeholders, importers, licensed customs agents, and other operators within the trade ecosystem to ensure strict compliance with the applicable guidelines and regulatory requirements.

By:  Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has partnered with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency to tackle challenges faced by consumers at marketplaces.

In a meeting theme, ‘Price tagging, minimum labelling requirements and Return/Refund policy’, held at the LCCI building in Ikeja, Lagos, the challenges  were delibrated on.

Speaking during the stakeholders’ engagement,  organised by the FCCPC in partnership with LASCOPA, the Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, Mr Tunji Bello, said that in Lagos, which is the commercial centre of Nigeria, millions of transactions take place across its markets, supermarkets, shopping malls, neighbourhood stores, and online platforms daily.

Bello, represented at the event by the South West Coordinator of the FCCPC, Olubumi Otti, said that those transactions drive economic growth, create jobs, and support livelihoods, stressing that they also depend on one essential ingredient: trust.

“Consumers must be confident that the price they see is the price they will pay. They must be able to rely on the information provided about the products they buy. They must also know that where the law gives them the right to a refund, replacement, or repair, that right will be respected,” Bello said.

He stressed that when consumers have confidence in the marketplace, they are more willing to spend because businesses attract loyal customers, and fair competition thrives.

“That is why today’s engagement is so important. We are here to discuss three issues that affect consumers and businesses every single day: price tagging, minimum labelling requirements, and return and refund obligations.

“These may seem like ordinary aspects of doing business, but they play a vital role in building confidence in the marketplace. They help consumers make informed decisions, encourage fair competition, and create a level playing field for businesses that choose to operate responsibly,” he added.

The FCCPC boss reiterated that the purpose of the meeting was not simply to remind businesses of their legal obligations but rather to have an honest conversation about why these obligations matter, how they protect both consumers and businesses, and what could be done to improve compliance.

According to him, the FCCPC has always believed that engagement is more effective than confrontation, adding that businesses are far more likely to comply when the law is clearly explained and expectations are well understood.

“That is why stakeholder engagements such as this remain an important part of our regulatory approach. We expect businesses to deal with us honestly and transparently. Those expectations are not unreasonable. They are recognised and protected by law. Yet, every day, the commission receives complaints that show many consumers still face avoidable problems in the marketplace,” he stressed.

“Bello explained that displaying prices is not simply good business practice; ‘it is a basic requirement of fairness.’ A consumer should know what an item costs before deciding whether to buy it. No one should have to take a product to the checkout before learning its price. Neither should two customers be quoted different prices for the same product simply because a seller believes one can afford to pay more than the other.”

He emphasised that the essence of the gathering is for businesses to understand their responsibilities before problems arise, not after enforcement action becomes necessary.

Earlier, the General Manager of LASCOPA, Afolabi Sholebo, maintained that the gathering signalled a shared conviction that the marketplace must be fair, transparent, and worthy of consumers’ trust.

He pointed out that compliance with pricing regulations, product labelling standards, and consumer redress mechanisms is not a matter of discretion; rather, it is a legal obligation under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Law 2025, as amended. More than that, it is a hallmark of responsible business practice.

Meanwhile, Engineer Lawal Ismaila of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria [SON] warned consumers against purchasing anything that is not properly labelled in the English language and does not have the SON logo.“If the product is locally manufactured, it should also bear the SON CAP logo,” he added.

Ismaila Lawal explained that product labelling is important because it protects consumer safety, ensures legal compliance and builds consumer trust. “It also provides essential facts so people can use items safely and make smart choices”.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has said the private jet incident in Asaba was a security violation.

He also stated that pilot and crew members would remain  in prison while investigations are ongoing.

The Aviation Minister disclosed this in a live Television interview last weekend.

According to him, the tower gave the go-ahead for the plane to land, but instead of waiting for investigators, the crew landed on a concrete road outside the airport, parallel to the runway.

He said  the jet was intercepted upon reaching Lagos, with the pilot and the crew workers arrested.

Keyamo said investigation revealed that the pilot was over 65 years old and the plane was registered in  United States and not Nigeria.

He also said  the situation has been reported directly to the President due to the security concerns.

“As I speak with you, the private jet incident in Asaba was a security breach and we are treating it as such.

“The pilot and crew remain in DSS custody to this day, subject to intense interrogation over their whereabouts and actions, despite the tower’s clearance to land.

“Therefore, our navigational abilities were irrelevant. Guess what? They touched down on a concrete road that runs outside the airport but parallel to the runway. And then they took off again”. Keyamo said.