The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has engaged stakeholders on Federal Government’s newly introduced ‘Green Tax Surcharge’ on imported vehicles, assuring importers significant reductions in vehicle import levies will cushion the impact of the policy.
The sensitisation programme, held in Kano yesterday as part of a nationwide campaign on the implementation of the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures, brought together Customs zonal coordinators, terminal operators, licensed customs agents, excise traders, aviation handling companies, and officers from Zones B and D.
Speaking at the event, the Zonal Coordinator of Zone B, Assistant Comptroller-General Nnsikan Umoh, represented by the Kaduna Area Controller, Sa’ad Hassan, said the Green Tax is designed to support Nigeria’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
He urged stakeholders not to see the policy as an additional burden but as a strategic step towards environmental sustainability and responsible trade.
“The Green Tax is not a punishment or a penalty, but a pivot towards sustainable trade, responsible consumption, and a Nigeria that not only counts revenue but also the cost of its carbon footprint on future generations,” Hassan said.
He disclosed that the Comptroller-General of Customs approved the nationwide sensitisation exercise to ensure stakeholders fully understand the policy before enforcement.
“The Nigeria Customs Service does not exist in opposition to the trading community. We exist because of it, and the Green Tax is not a wall between us; it is a bridge we are building together,” he added.
Providing further clarification, the Comptroller of Customs in charge of Tariff, Murtala Mu’azu, said the Green Tax Surcharge took effect on July 1, 2026, as part of the second phase of the Federal Government’s 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures.
According to him, the surcharge applies only to imported vehicles with engine capacities of 2,000cc and above. Vehicles with engine capacities between 2,000cc and 3,999cc will attract a two per cent surcharge, while those with 4,000cc and above will pay four per cent.
He explained that vehicles below 2,000cc, electric vehicles, mass transit buses, and locally manufactured vehicles are exempt from the surcharge.
Mu’azu said the policy is intended to promote environmental sustainability while advancing Nigeria’s long-term climate objectives.
To ease the financial burden on importers, he announced that the Federal Government has reduced import levies on new vehicles from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, while levies on used vehicles have been slashed from 15 per cent to five per cent.
According to him, the reductions mean that despite the introduction of the Green Tax, many importers will pay less overall than they did under the previous import regime.
Representing the Zonal Coordinator of Zone D, Controller A.M. Idris of the Borno/Yobe Area Command commended participants for attending the sensitisation programme and urged them to embrace the policy through greater compliance in support of Nigeria’s economic growth and environmental sustainability.
Stakeholders at the interactive session commended the Nigeria Customs Service for providing detailed clarification on the Green Tax policy and pledged their cooperation towards its successful implementation.