Motorist begins annual payment for vehicle proof of ownership as imposed
by FG.
Amidst the heat of fuel subsidy removal and plan to increase electric tarrif from 1st July, which some Nigerians are faulting already as a step with wrong timing, the Federal Government has introduced a fee of N1,000 to be paid by all motorists annually for Proof of Ownership Certificate (POC) verification.
Lagos State is kick-starting the collection of the fee for POC from motorists beginning from July 2023 as well.
At a joint news conference in Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos Ministry of Transportation, Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola, said the state government had begun the implementation of the new initiative that aimed to streamline and enhance the process of vehicle ownership verification which is the “annual Proof of Ownership Certificate (POC) in line with compliance with legal requirement fundamental to transparency, security and accountability within transportation network.
He said the initiative was in accordance with the National Road Traffic Regulation 2012 as amended, No. 101, Vol. 99; Section 73- (1) which states that ‘There shall be Proof of Ownership Certificate for all registered Vehicles’. Section 73- (1-6) also added that ‘The commission shall establish and maintain a Central Data Base for Vehicles and drivers for the federation.”
“To this end, the Federal Government has introduced the issuance of annual Proof of Ownership Certificate for all registered vehicles.
“This certificate will serve as official documentation of a vehicle’s legal owners upon successful completion of the necessary requirements and procedures.
“The POC will contain vital information including the vehicle’s registration details, such as, license number plate, model, year of manufacture in addition to owner’s name and address.
“Having critically reviewed the challenges encountered in ensuring promotion of Safety and Security of lives and property through the issuance of POC nationally and especially in our Dear State, the Joint Tax Board in its communiqué issued at the end of the emergency meeting held on 9th May, 2023 adopted and made a resolution that proof of ownership certificate (PoC) be issued to motorists on an annual basis nationwide,” he said.
The permanent secretary said the decision, among other things was aimed at tracking the real time status and guarantees the integrity of all vehicles registered on the National Vehicle and Identification Scheme (NVIS) database.
He stated that for effective security administration, the annual POC was specially printed and connected with other vehicle documents in the state.
Toriola explained that through the POC, statistics of vehicular population nation-wide could easily be obtained, while it would bring solution to minimization of car theft and recovery of stolen vehicles, as well as streamline the fulfillment of uniform licensing scheme mandate.
Other benefits, he said, included that the states motor vehicle documents could easily be verified regardless of the issuing state; safety and security of vehicles and their owners, enhancement of National Vehicle database for national security and for planning and economic development.
“We believe that the POC will help track the real time status and guarantee the integrity of all vehicles registered on the National Vehicle and Identification Scheme (NVIS) database and it is based on the safety and security it guaranteed that the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has approved for its commencement in Lagos State, hence this briefing to enlighten the public,” he said.
Vehicle Certificate Proof of Ownership (CPO) has been in existence in Nigeria which you obtain at the point of vehicle registration and becomes a document to be possessed until the ownership of the car changes to another owner but now to be renewed annually. 
