The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced procedures for granting safe passage to personal vehicles temporarily imported into or transiting through Nigeria by international travellers, a development expected to have direct implications for Badagry and the Seme border corridor, one of Nigeria’s busiest land entry points.

In a statement issued by the National Public Relations Officer and Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Dr Abdullahi Maiwada, the service said the initiative is backed by the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, as well as international conventions regulating the temporary admission and transit of vehicles.

For Badagry, the policy is particularly significant given the strategic importance of the Seme–Badagry axis, which serves as a major gateway for travellers, diplomats, tourists, and business visitors moving between Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries.

The NCS noted that the framework applies to personal, non-commercial vehicles belonging to international travellers entering Nigeria for tourism, diplomatic duties, business engagements, or personal visits.

According to the Customs Service, the new arrangement is designed to ease cross-border movement, reduce bottlenecks at land borders, and strengthen Nigeria’s compliance with regional and international mobility agreements. It also aligns with the #ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, which is particularly relevant to border communities such as Badagry that sit at the heart of regional trade and transit.

Maiwada explained that the policy draws legal authority from Sections 142, 143, 144, and 245 of the NCS Act, 2023, alongside the Revised Kyoto Convention, the UN TIR Convention (1975), the Istanbul Convention (1990), and World Customs Organisation (WCO) guidelines on temporary admission, including Carnet de Passages en Douane (CPD) regulations.

Travellers entering Nigeria through #Seme Border with personal vehicles will be required to present valid documentation at the point of entry. These include an international passport, international driver’s licence, vehicle registration documents, insurance, and a valid CPD.

Upon satisfactory inspection and verification by Customs officers, a Temporary Vehicle Admission Permit valid for up to 90 days will be issued and electronically recorded. The NCS added that travellers may apply for an extension of up to 30 days, subject to approval by the appropriate Customs Area Controller.

Vehicles admitted under this regime are permitted to move freely within Nigeria, including through Badagry, Lagos, and other parts of the country, but must not be sold, leased, transferred, modified, or used for commercial purposes. At the point of exit—whether through Seme Border or any other approved route—travellers must present the vehicle alongside the approved Customs Temporary Admission Declaration.

The Customs Service further advised that in the event of accidents, theft, or mechanical breakdown, the nearest Customs office should be notified immediately for documentation and guidance.

Reaffirming its commitment to transparency, security, and trade facilitation, the NCS said the initiative is expected to improve border efficiency, enhance traveller experience, and reinforce Badagry’s role as a key international gateway, while ensuring strict compliance with Nigeria’s customs and environmental regulations.