The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that it would begin auction of seized and condemned goods starting July 1, 2017.
Customs said it is reopening the suspended auction scheme after about 18 months following successful test running of the new electronic auction portal.
The information was announced on its website at the weekend.
“After repeated tests of the e-auction platform Nigeria Customs is now set to deploy the e-auction portal on the 1st of july 2017.
[Read Also:] CUSTOMS DISTRIBUTE 136,476 SEIZED BAGS OF RICE TO IDPS
“The portal is now fully networked to designated banks to ensure money accruing from the auction gets to the Central bank of Nigeria Treasury Single Account for transparency and accountability.
“After receiving the report, the Comptroller General of Customs ,Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali(Rtd) directed the auction committee to ensure that only proper pictures of the goods as well as detailed information about each are uploaded to avoid any misgiving.
“He further stressed the need for more weeks to enable interested members of the public to obtain their Tax identification numbers (TIN) from the federal inland revenue before the commencement date.
“The platform which is highly interactive will only give access to holders of TIN.
“Such tax payers will log in, read the guidelines, pay the non-refundable one thousand auction fee and proceed to bid for the items on auction.
“Recall that the CGC resumed duty in 2015 with a three pronged Presidential mandates of Restructure, Reform and seek ways of raising revenue.
“Manual auction was identified as non competitive and opened to abuses hence it was suspended.
“The committee set up has now developed an e-auction platform that is secured transparent and guarantees equal opportunities to all Nigerians.
“All interested persons are therefore advised to get ready by obtaining their Tax identification numbers issued by Federal Inland Revenue,” the statement read.
