The Nigerian High Commission and 160 others owe the United Kingdom a total of £143,527,113 in congestion charges, according to a document released by Transport for London, a government agency that manages the day-to-day operations of London’s public transport network and supervises the city’s main roads.
The UK agency released a list of foreign embassies and diplomats who have defaulted on the payment for congestion charge notices. The list contains 161 embassies, collectively owing Transport for London the sum.
With a debt of £8,395,055, the Nigerian High Commission is the fourth foreign embassy with the highest amount of debt, just after the Office of the High Commissioner for India, while the American Embassy tops the list with a £14,645,025 debt.
Launched in 2003, the congestion charge mandates motorists to pay a £15 daily fee to drive in central London between specific hours on weekdays, weekends and bank holidays.
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The agency also added that this charge is a service, not a tax, that all embassies in the UK are obliged to pay. However, many diplomats from foreign embassies in the UK, including the Nigerian High Commission and the American Embassy, have defaulted.
“We and the UK government are clear that the congestion charge is a charge for a service and not a tax. This means that diplomats are not exempt from paying it. The majority of embassies in London do pay the charge, but there remains a stubborn minority who refuse to do so, despite our representations through diplomatic channels,” said Transport for London.
“We will continue to pursue all unpaid Congestion Charge fees and related penalty charge notices and are pushing for the matter to be taken up at the International Court of Justice.”
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