The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) is poised to ground more than 60 private jets starting October 14 in a crackdown on unpaid import duties amounting to billions of naira, according to reports by local media.

Documents exchanged between the NCS and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) - seen by The PUNCH newspaper - showed the enforcement follows a verification exercise conducted in June and July 2024 which revealed that many of the affected aircraft are foreign-registered and owned by influential business leaders and bank executives. Affected owners would be notified by the NCS, which expects to generate more than NGN260 billion naira (USD159.4 million) from the clamp-down. Aircraft that have left the country to evade scrutiny will also be grounded on their return. The NCS has written to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to deny flight clearances until the overdue duties are paid, reports Politics Nigeria.

Despite some operators lobbying for intervention, the presidency reportedly declined to interfere. Notably, one bank reportedly paid NGN5.3 billion (USD3.2 million) to avoid the clampdown.

According to The Punch, aircraft on the list include Challengers 600s, Challenger 350s, Global 6500s, and Global 7500s.

ch-aviation has reached out to the NCAA and NAMA for comment.