The car market in Cotonou is arguably the largest automobile market in West Africa as it thrives on Nigeria’s mega population. Many Nigerians have resolved to buying their cars from this market due to several challenges inherent in getting a good bargain within our fatherland. I recommend that you consider the following advantages and disadvantages before buying your first or next car through the Cotonou route:

ADVANTAGES

1) Level of honesty: This market welcomes you with a lovely aura and a serene environment which gives you the opportunity to explore without being exploited by those guys who always claim “nah my brother get the car”. The Cotonou dealers would calmly communicate the prices of their vehicles to you and they will not hassle or compel you to buy from their lot. Obviously, they are not over desperate to sell and this significantly reduces the extent to which they cheat their clients. However, this does not mean you should be gullible and fall for what they want you to believe as they also roll back mileages and refurbish several accidented cars, but they will hardly sell a registered car to you as tokunbo like our brothers at Berger would.

2) Cleaner cars: The car dealers in Cotonou can afford to buy more cars that are not accidented because they do not bare any import duty cost as the import duty is paid to the Government by the buyer after the car is sold by the dealer. Hence, they have a reasonable amount of cars that are not accidented and the accidented ones are usually repaired by professional panel beaters and painters.

3) Relatively low import duty for high-end cars: Several luxury and recent cars that are considered to be high-end are usually brought into Nigeria through the Seme land border due to reduced duty. A major reason for the reduced duty is the fact that Benin Republic’s Government charges a fixed import duty (500,000 CFA = 320,000 Naira) on all cars irrespective of its year or trim. Furthermore, the import duty at Seme border is less than Apapa and Tincan port as charges that accrue to shipping companies are waived, basic import duties are usually lower and smuggling is easier. I remember counting over 100 Landcruiser and Prado jeeps that came into Nigeria the only night I slept at Ilaro town about 2 years ago.

4) Varieties: If you want to get tired of seeing cars, Cotonou car market is the place to be. You will be overwhelmed by the unlimited number of cars spread over the vast expanse of land. Do not make the mistake of doing your search by foot as those that move around the market on motorbikes still complain of being exhausted.

5) Market localization: This eliminates the stress of driving across a whole state or an entire city in search of a car as most of the cars are located within close proximity to one another.

DISADVANTAGES

1) Difficulty to run a VIN check: This will not be an issue if you have internet data on your phone. However, it is a major issue for so many people who make payment for cars without having information about its flooded history or rolled back mileage. I inspected some cars in Cotonou 3 weeks ago and only realized that the one we liked the most had its mileage reduced from 258,000 miles to 125,000 miles. Thank God we went back to Seme border to get network to run the VIN checks.

2) Relatively high import duty for cheaper cars: There is a myth that all cars from Cotonou are cheaper than cars which are cleared via Lagos ports. This is actually false especially in the case of cars that are relatively old. e.g a 2003 Toyota Camry is usually cheaper if imported through Apapa sea ports as against routing it through Cotonou because you would pay double duty to two separate Governments in the latter.

3) Nigeria Customs’ palava: Customs’ issue is the king of all the challenges you can face when bringing your car into Nigeria from Cotonou. The issues ranges from vehicle seizure to exploitation. I do not hope for my enemy to experience this as those Custom guys are not smiling no matter who you are or who you know. They even seize vehicles that belong to their fellow custom officials as well as that of top military officials. The simplest way to save your car from being seized is by using a reliable and trustworthy agent and ensuring your car is taken into the Nigerian Customs’ compound at the border for proper duty assessment and payment.

4) Restricted movement: Most Nigerians who successfully bring in cars with compromised import duty from Cotonou usually count their gains at the time of purchase. However, this excitement fades away quickly as they begin to watch over their shoulders especially when travelling interstate. Some even travel without their cars due to fear of custom officials.

5) Possible damage when vehicle is in transit: A typical example of penny wise is when you save some bucks by bringing your car in from Cotonou but the cost of damage sustained to your car is commensurate to or higher than the anticipated savings. Some car crossing agents who smuggle cars without the owner’s consent still had a shootout with custom officials a few weeks back.

My verdict is for you to only bring in your car from Cotonou if you have a trusted hand who will not smuggle/fly your car and ensure full import duty is paid after proper assessment at the custom’s office.

What is your verdict on this pertinent issue?

http://autojosh.com/5-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-buying-your-car-from-cotonou/

Well written article.

Thanks

Not an easy road.

How I wish I can just close my eyes and open it, and that Accord in the pix is in my compound.

Spot on @OP especially point 1 of the advantages. The dealers are not desperate to sale. They just tell u their price and walk away, no coarsing, preaching or overzealous nature of the Nigerian sellers.

However, they are usually dishonest about the state of the cars. Hence, it''s absolutely imperative to run a vehicle history report (VHR ) prior to making payment for any car.

Paying for Nigeria Custom Duty is a simple process but the NCS in conivance with agents have made it to appear a difficult process in order to extort buyers.

Once buyers can get valuation and walk into any bank and make payment themselves, the myth and difficulties associated with duty payment would have been debunked.

Thanks for sharing

Okay

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Even, ladies are outperforming with this approach


.

Nice one

Seen

Nice

Loads of advantages, No disadvantages really if you are ready to follow due process.

lonelydora:
How I wish I can just close my eyes and open it, and that Accord in the pix is in my compound.

GUY U JUST SPOKE MY MIND

What happened to buying new cars? Money

bravolad:
Spot on @OP especially point 1 of the advantages. The dealers are not desperate to sale. They just tell u their price and walk away, no coarsing, preaching or overzealous nature of the Nigerian sellers.

However, they are usually dishonest about the state of the cars. Hence, it''s absolutely imperative to run a vehicle history report (VHR ) prior to making payment for any car.

Paying for Nigeria Custom Duty is a simple process but the NCS in conivance with agents have made it to appear a difficult process in order to extort buyers.

Once buyers can get valuation and walk into any bank and make payment themselves, the myth and difficulties associated with duty payment would have been debunked.

Gbam...End of discussion

Nice,I need a car

The advantages sure outweighs the disadvantages but i wont ignore the fact that the disadvantages should be considered also.....

Thanks for the well written article.

bad rides

Nice one...been waiting for this.

So if you buy car from cotonou you pay double duty, one for Benin rep and the other for Nigeria.

Is this not being penny wise and pound f00lish ?

Is there any point I missed in making the above assertion.?

That black Lexus

The current economic situation have damaged the Naira, so cars are actually cheaper in Nigeria now.

On paying duties and not paying duties, the only time to worry about undutied car is when its on the way crossing to Nigeria. Once the car arrives Nigeria nobody knows where the car come from. I'm sure 50% or more of cars in Nigeria come from Cotonou. Some year ago, I bought a car from Cotonou and few days in Lagos police stopped me and found some Cotonou clarance papers still inside. I was so foolish not to have removed them. But, all I did was settle.

Cotonue cars

hi AutoJosh,

I really appreciate your educative posts here. please how much would a Toyota Camry 2010, preferably black with leather seats cost? the full costs? Can you assist in this regard? THANKS

lonelydora:
How I wish I can just close my eyes and open it, and that Accord in the pix is in my compound.

chaaaaiiii bros....I follow you dream the dream o....sootey I don download the pictures sharp for my phone!!!

I won't advise cotonou cars in this trying times of almost #400 to $1.

Some agent are ready to sugarcoat their tongue so you can part away with your money. Don't get your hands burnt.

You could get a car of same spec & model from USA at a lesser rate instead of heading towards cotonou.

Ask me how when you are ready to purchase.

You have said everything that I went through when I went to by one. Still cheaper to get a vehicle there than any part of Nigeria ports or outlets.