The Federal Government has introduced the issuance of annual Proof of Ownership Certificate for all registered vehicles.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Engr AbdulHafiz Toriola, announced this at a press conference on Tuesday, held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Lagos.
According to him, the certificate will aid in tracking auto theft and the recovery of stolen vehicles as well as ensuring the integrity of all vehicles listed on the National Vehicle and Identification Scheme (NVIS) database for owners and the government.
He added that there were further advantages, such as the ease with which state-issued motor vehicle documentation could be validated, the safety and security of vehicles and their owners, and the improvement of the National Vehicle Database for planning and economic development as well as for national security.
Toriola said the “annual Proof of Ownership Certificate (POC) is in line with compliance with legal requirement fundamental to transparency, security and accountability within transportation network.
“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.”
He continued that the Lagos State will commence the collection of the fee for POC from motorists beginning from July 2023, adding that each vehicle owner is expected to pay a minimum of N1,000 to procure the document.
He further 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.”