The Federal Government has unveiled a Diplomatic duty-free village in Abuja where diplomats can buy items and enjoy tax-free services in the country.
The facility is set on 2,700 square-metre lands along the Olusegun Obasanjo Way Central Business District in Abuja.
The Diplomatic village was established in compliance with the United Nations Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which exempts diplomats from all duties and taxes, whether national, regional or municipal.
The Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada, described the facility as a one-stop shopping village that will take care of all the needs of the diplomatic community in Abuja.
He also assured the diplomatic community that the government would provide adequate security in the village.
Dada said: “No doubt, the services provided by the duty-free facility will drastically reduce the volume of diplomatic shipments into the country.
“I understand that the facility has different interesting and top-notch sections ranging from a shopping centre, recreational services, spa, eye centre, restaurants, clinic, etc.
“This affirms that the federal government of Nigeria has so far demonstrated its commitment towards ensuring the success of the duty-free facility by giving the needed support for each operation.
On her part, the Minister of Finance and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said that the federal government took the establishment of the facility important to ensure coordination of imports for the diplomats.
Ahmed who said that the diplomatic immunities and privileges Act of 1962 empowers the Ministry of Finance to exempt diplomas from all taxes, added that the village would ensure strict control or cessation of individual requests for waivers on imported items by diplomats
Ahmed added that the duty-free facility will enable the government to maintain a database of products.
Mr Uche Odozor, Managing Director of the village, said that the establishment of the facility will no doubt improve diplomatic relations between Nigeria and representatives of other countries and multilateral institutions in the country.
