The Nigerian Government has grounded at least 60 private jets across major Nigerian airports as part of a crackdown on owners who have allegedly failed to pay import duties running into several billions of naira.
According to The PUNCH, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), which spearheaded the operation, confirmed that several luxury aircraft—including Bombardier Global 6000, 6500, and 7500 series—were affected.
The clampdown also led to the sealing of private jet hangars at Lagos and Abuja airports.
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The reports stated that the aviation and customs sectors disclosed on Wednesday that the move followed a verification exercise launched to identify private jet owners who had defaulted.
The initiative, originally slated to commence on October 14, 2024, was delayed after the NCS extended the deadline to November 14, 2024.
Among the affected are high-profile individuals, including bank executives, oil industry magnates, and executives of multinational companies.
Many of them are reportedly lobbying the Presidency in a bid to secure the release of their grounded aircraft.
However, despite the expiration of the initial deadline on November 14, 2024, the NCS remained silent about its planned enforcement against private jet owners who had failed to pay outstanding customs duties.
When questioned about the agency’s inaction at the time, the NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, explained that multiple court cases had delayed enforcement.
However, fresh findings on Wednesday revealed that the NCS had quietly begun grounding both privately and corporately owned jets.
The clampdown reportedly started on Monday without any new public notice, according to affected stakeholders.
Sources disclosed to The PUNCH that NCS officials sealed several aircraft at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. This marks a major enforcement step by the agency, seven months after it issued final warnings to defaulters.
When contacted, Maiwada confirmed the development, stating that the NCS had commenced enforcement and would continue until all outstanding payments were made.
“Yes, enforcement has started. The aircraft are grounded for the non-payment of customs duty, and as soon as they come over to regularise their payment and give what is due to Nigerians, they will get it back,” he said.
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He added, “We issued a statement when we started the verification, and we extended the period and even ‘over extended the period’, now that we are acting, everyone already knows our reason.
“We just have to enforce, we have to collect revenue for Nigerians so that it will be used for Nigerians.”