Barugzai Mercedes-Benz VIP V Class Exported to Nigeria

Another handcrafted Barugzai build has left our Ras Al Khor atelier — this time a Mercedes-Benz VIP V Class, commissioned by a private client in Lagos, Nigeria. It is a journey we know well: from a bare chassis to a rolling majlis, and from Dubai to driveways across West Africa.

This particular custom Mercedes V-Class was specified to the client’s exact brief: two reclining captain chairs in diamond-stitched Nappa leather, a starlight headliner, a privacy partition with a large smart TV, fold-away work tables and a chilled console. Every panel was stripped, insulated, re-trimmed and hand-finished in our Dubai workshop — the same process behind all of our custom VIP vans.

What sets a Barugzai export build apart is that nothing is outsourced. Carpentry, upholstery, electrical, entertainment and trim are all completed under one roof, so the vehicle that arrives in Lagos is exactly the vehicle that left our floor — inspected, detailed and documented.

Nigeria’s business elite, entertainers and political families have long favored discreet, chauffeur-driven luxury — and few vehicles serve that brief better than a fully converted V Class. Dubai sits at the center of that trade: short shipping lanes to Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, competitive logistics costs, and a customization ecosystem that simply does not exist at this level anywhere in West Africa.

• Build quality verified in person — many Nigerian clients visit our Dubai showroom before commissioning.
• Factory-level conversion work at a fraction of European coachbuilder pricing.
• Fast, established RoRo and container shipping routes from Jebel Ali to Lagos.
• Full export documentation handled in-house, from deregistration to bill of lading.

Vehicle export from the UAE is straightforward when handled by an experienced team. Once the build is complete and the balance settled, we arrange RTA export plates and deregistration, marine insurance, port handling at Jebel Ali, and secure container or RoRo loading. Typical transit time to Lagos is three to five weeks depending on the shipping line and schedule.

The client receives the full document set — export certificate, bill of lading, invoice and build specification — needed for customs clearance in Nigeria. For first-time importers, we can also introduce trusted clearing agents in Lagos who handle V-Class and Sprinter arrivals every month.

Built in Dubai. Delivered worldwide. Lagos is simply the latest pin on our map.

Nigerian import duty and levies on a luxury van typically total between 35% and 70% of the assessed value depending on age and classification — your clearing agent will quote precisely against the bill of lading. Budget for port charges and demurrage risk: a good agent clears a documented V-Class within days, while an undocumented one can sit for weeks. This is why we obsess over the paperwork before the container closes, not after it opens.

Most export commissions begin with a WhatsApp conversation and a specification sheet. Clients choose a base vehicle — or select one from our cars for sale inventory — then work with our design team on seating layouts, materials and technology. A typical VIP V Class conversion takes six to ten weeks from deposit to delivery at the port.

If you are in Nigeria — or anywhere in Africa, the GCC or beyond — and want a bespoke VIP van built and shipped to your door, contact our export team. Your legacy starts here.