The Nigeria Customs Service has grounded over 60 private jets operating in the country for allegedly failing to pay import duties.

Most of the affected aircraft are foreign-registered and operate under Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, according to THISDAY.

Sources revealed that the grounding began on Monday at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, and other airports, continuing into Tuesday.

It was gathered that customs authorities have also sealed off several foreign private jets at ExecuJet, a free trade zone facility at Lagos airport operated by Quits Aviation.

A source close to the private jet owners revealed that the impounded aircraft belong to Nigerian individuals and are registered under the Permit for Non-Commercial Flight license.

The permit is issued to individuals who wish to own and operate aircraft solely for personal use, without any form of commercial activity or compensation.

At the Lagos airport, seals from the NCS MMIA Command, were visibly placed on some private jets, indicating they had been officially grounded by the service.

The official seal of the NCS stated that “In accordance with section 221 of the NCS Act 2023, unauthorised removal or breakage of this seal attracts a fine of N100 million or 10 years imprisonment or both.”

Informed industry sources have raised concerns over the grounding of aircraft at ExecuJet, an international organisation that established its Nigerian base to service private jets across West and Central Africa.

One source argued that, as a facility located within a duty-free zone, Customs had no legal basis to seal aircraft on the company’s premises, stating, “ExecuJet is a duty-free zone. What are Customs doing in a duty-free zone?”

Since last year, the Nigeria Customs Service has issued repeated warnings to ground private jets owned by prominent individuals in Nigeria over alleged unpaid import duties amounting to billions of naira.