The Federal government has banned the importation of poultry foods, cement, pharmaceutical and agricultural products from countries outside the Economic Community of West African States.
The circular, issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance and signed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, outlined 17 categories of goods now barred from entry through all ports, with wide-ranging implications for importers, clearing agents, and consumers.
A major highlight of the policy is the sweeping restriction on pharmaceutical products.
The Import Prohibition list (Trade), applicable only to certain goods originating from non-ECOWAS Member States, consists of 17 items.
Below is a list of the items on the revised import prohibition list:
(1) Live or dead birds, including frozen poultry
(2) Pork/beef, including tongues, livers, and shoulders of bovine animals
(3) Bird eggs, excluding hatching eggs of grandparent stock for breeding and research purposes
(4) Refined vegetable oil, excluding refined linseed, castor oil, olive oil, and hydrogenated vegetable fats, and crude vegetable oil
(5) Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid form, containing added flavouring or colouring matters
(6) Cocoa butter, powder and cakes, including fat and oil of cocoa and natural cocoa butter
(7) Tomatoes, whole or in pieces, tomato paste or concentrates
(8) Waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or sweetening matter or flavoured, once snow, as well as other non-alcoholic beverage
(9) Bagged cement
(10) Medicament (medicine) under several headings
(11) Waste pharmaceuticals
(12) Mineral or chemical fertilisers containing the three fertilising elements nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK)
(13) Soaps and detergents
(14) Corrugated paper and paper boards, cartons, boxes and cases made from corrugated paper and paper boards
(15) Hollow glass bottles of a capacity exceeding 150 mis (0.15 litres), such as carboys, bottles and flasks
(16) Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, of a width of 600mm or more, clad, plated or coated – corrugated
(17) Ball point pen and parts, including refills (excluding tip) for Ball point pens, comprising the Ball point and ink-reservoir
The circular also introduced an Import Adjustment Tax on 192 tariff lines, noting that the levies would be gradually phased out in line with Nigeria’s commitments under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
It stated, “With effect from January 2027, all Import Adjustment Taxes except for products on the African Continental Free Trade Area 3 per cent list, shall be gradually reduced on an annual basis until full elimination to 0 per cent by 2036.”
The government further announced that excise duties, including a green tax surcharge, would take effect from July 1, 2026, alongside a 90-day grace period for compliance.
Recall that the FG had earlier introduced tariff cuts on cars, palm oil, and sugar as part of new all times fiscal policy measures.
