Nigeria Implements Zero Tarrif On Aircraft Spares

Special Assistant to the Minister of Aviation on Media, Joe Obi has confirmed that Nigerian government has started implementation of the much talked about zero tariffs on aircraft importation and spares for domestic airline operators.

According to him, “the implementation has started. What this means is that if you want to bring in aircraft and its spare-parts today, there will be zero taxation. The operator will not pay any import duty”

He said this waiver would allow domestic airline operators to bring in modern airplanes to boost their fleet.

Aviation experts, analysts and stakeholders have been waiting endlessly to see if the pronouncement by President Goodluck Jonathan will make good his promise to implement the policy.

This is just as the President of Aviation Round Table (ART), Capt Dele Ore, commended the government for the progressive policy, adding that the policy was long overdue.

In an interview with “Daily Independent”  in Lagos, Ore pointed out that the policy was long overdue, adding that Nigerian domestic airlines would have been enjoying the tariffs waiver if only the past administrations were serious about the matter.

The zero tariffs policy was pronounced by the president during his budget proposal to the National Assembly (NASS) in October 2012.

According to Ore, “investigation showed that the policy was already been implemented and I praise the government for it .But to me that is what they should have done a long time ago. It is not as if they have done a wonderful thing. It took the Aviation Round Table 10 years making the noise for a zero tariffs.”

“I commend them for implementing it though there are a lot  lacunas  and a lot of mistakes .The most important part of aircraft is the tyre ,It is the one that connects the ground to the heaven when they are landing it is the contact ,when they are taken off and it is also the one that sustain them. And the tyre from what I head is excluded and they say except the things are coupled with the wheels and the break before you call it tyre.  I appeal that they should not misinterpret what a tyre of an aircraft is .They can see that it cannot be used for lorry, it cannot be mistaken. They cannot be coupled until when they are brought here one by one and they are assembled,“ he added.

On manpower development, the aviation lawyer said that the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) was under funded by the Federal Government and that as result it cannot provide the manpower need of industry which according to him has work force.