The United Kingdom says the Nigerian High Commission in London owes £7.1m ((N3.3bn) in congestion charges and parking tickets.
Giving a breakdown on Tuesday, the UK Foreign Office said Nigeria was owing £7, 063, 965 in congestion fees and £47, 165 in parking tickets.
The figure amounts to more than two times the entire 2020 budget of the high commission, which stands at N1.6bn, Punch Newspaper reports.
London charges a daily congestion fee of £11.50 ((N5, 405) if one drives a car within the central zone at any time between 7am and 6pm on weekdays.
The charge was put in place in 2003 to dissuade people from using their private vehicles and instead to patronise the public transport system to prevent traffic congestion.
Incidentally, London is the favourite destination of the President, Muhammadu Buhari , where he has spent not less than 240 non-consecutive days in the last five years mostly on health grounds, private matters and investment summits.
In 2017, Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the aircraft which was at the service of the President cost £1,000 (N470,000) per day in airport charges.
Shehu said the aircraft was on standby for the purpose of the immediate return of the President.
He said the decision to leave the aircraft in London was in line with protocol, national security and prestige.
