All car owners must now get a Proof of Ownership Certificate (POC), according to a new policy that the federal government has announced.
The new policy was unveiled by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Engr AbdulHafiz Toriola, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Lagos. He stated that the certificate would be part of the requirements to be renewed yearly and that it would take effect in the state of Lagos in July.
Before the implementation of this new rule, Nigerians could only get Proof of Ownership when they bought a used car or had their car’s engine replaced.
Toriola added that the POC policy will apply to all classes of vehicles, including motorcycles, tricycles, minivans, saloon cars, all classes of trucks, articulated vehicles, and other similar vehicles that transport people or goods from one location to another.
According to Toriola, the certificates will include important characteristics such as the vehicle’s registration information, including the license plate number, model, and year of production, as well as the owner’s name and address.
Each car owner is required to spend a minimum of N1,000 to obtain the document, he claims, and all States of the Federation are expected to start implementing the new regulation.