Lagos Govt Imposes N1,000 Car Ownership Fee

Car owners in Lagos will pay a minimum of N1000 annually as the Lagos State Government has imposed a Proof of Ownership Certificate (POC) for all categories of registered vehicles.

The new policy was announced by Engr AbdulHafiz Toriola the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Lagos.

Toriola said in Lagos, the certificate will come into force in the State in July.

He said: “This certificate upon successful completion of the necessary requirements and procedures, will serve as part of official documentation of a vehicle’s legal owners.”

The Permanent Secretary said the certificate will cost a minimum of N1,000 and it is expected to be adopted across the states of the Federation.

According to the most recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics, registered cars in Nigeria are 1.8 million as of 2018.

The United States International Trade Administration said smuggling, grey imports of used vehicles, and the lack of reliable data make the exact size of Nigeria’s vehicle market difficult to quantify.

Nigeria’s annual vehicle demand is 720,000 units and local manufacturers supply only 14,000 units leading to massive importation.

According to the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Nigerians spend around $8bn on car importation annually, thereby expanding the car ownership net.