The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has come under fire over its proposal to spend a staggering N14.39 billion on luxury vehicles for its senior officers in the 2025 fiscal year.

This expenditure is part of a larger N35.27 billion budget earmarked for the procurement of 579 official vehicles, according to the service’s proposed appropriation bill obtained on Wednesday.

A breakdown of the plan shows that the most expensive vehicles are reserved for top-ranking officials, including Comptrollers, Assistant Comptroller-Generals (ACGs), and Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs). Individual vehicle prices range from N44 million to N75 million.

Some of the brands expected to be acquired include BYD hybrids, CHANGAN, MAXUS D90, NISSAN MG5, MIKANO, and NORD vehicles.

Details include:

20 CHANGAN CS95 SUVs for ACGs at N68m each, totaling N1.36bn;

15 MAXUS D90 SUVs for DCGs at N70m each, totaling N1.05bn;

20 QIN BYD hybrid sedans for ACGs at N65m each, totaling N1.3bn;

15 HAN BYD hybrids for DCGs at N75m each, totaling N1.125bn;

180 sedans for Comptrollers (NORD C3, MIKANO CHAGGAN EADO, and NISSAN MG5) at N44.625m each, totaling N9.55bn.

Other vehicles include 50 NORD TUSK trucks, 50 NISSAN NAVARA trucks, 100 JIM 4WD trucks, and 10 30-seater buses for operational and administrative use.

Backlash from Civil Society

The proposed spending has drawn strong condemnation from civil society organizations, who described it as wasteful and tone-deaf, especially amid Nigeria’s current economic crisis.

Two anti-corruption groups—Transparency and Accountability Group (TAG) and the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL)—argued that impounded vehicles in the Customs' possession could instead be refurbished and used for official duties.

Speaking to The PUNCH, TAG convener Ayo Ologun labeled the proposal “hypocrisy and insincerity at the highest levels of government.”

“Customs claim to be generating revenue, yet they squander it on luxury. What happened to the thousands of seized vehicles auctioned or parked idle?” he asked.

He questioned why seized vehicles—some recently impounded over unpaid duties—couldn’t be repaired and reassigned for official use, potentially saving the country billions.

Similarly, Debo Adediran, Executive Director of CACOL, described the budget as “obscene opulence”, urging government agencies to show empathy toward struggling Nigerians.

“This is a time to prioritize healthcare, education, and the economy—not luxury. This shows the government is disconnected from the pain of the people,” he said.

Revenue vs. Responsibility

Earlier this year, Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi disclosed that the service seized 397 vehicles worth N5.64 billion in 2024 alone. In 2023, 3,491 vehicles were impounded, with a duty-paid value of N2 billion.

Despite this track record, critics argue that Customs is neglecting the prudent reuse of these assets in favor of excessive new purchases, further eroding public trust and financial discipline within government institutions.