Customs alerts on scams, explains participation in e-auction
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Participation in the e-auction of seized goods has been explained by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in denying the rumour that it is planning to auction off 7,000 cars long held uncleared from the ports.
NCS Public Relations Officer Timi Bomodi, a Deputy Comptroller, quashed auction talk and urged Nigerians to always refer to the NCS e-auction website at https://app.trade.gov.ng/eauction/ for authentic information on auctioning.
He stressed in a statement that e-auction is the only way the NCS auctions goods to members of the public.
“Auctions are periodic and advertised in advance on our website to avail the public the opportunity of selecting and bidding for items of their choice …
“The Service deployed the e-auction platform in July 2017 to improve efficiency in revenue generation to the federal government,” the statement explained.
“It was also deployed to provide equal opportunities to all Nigerians in the seamless disposal of seized and condemned, and overtime and abandoned cargoes.”
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Requirements to participate in e-auction
“Since its implementation, the e-auction has lived up to expectations by guaranteeing transparency and integrity in the auctioning process,” Bomodi added, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), per reporting by Nairametrics.
He said the requirements to take part in the e-auction bidding process are clear, and they include:
- An applicant must possess a valid Tax Identification Number (TIN) issued by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), as well as an active e-mail account.
- The conditions and terms of auction must be carefully considered before acceptance.
- An applicant must have an authentic and nationally accepted means of identification.
- The means of identification include passport, driver’s licence, national identity card, voter card.
Bomodi referred the public to the NCS e-auction portal at https://app.trade.gov.ng/eauction/ for further guidelines.
He urged owners of uncleared vehicles at the various ports to avail themselves of the VIN-Valuation protocols to clear them.
The clearance procedure has been simplified, automated, and made more user-friendly, he stressed.
