Customs release guidelines for 150-day zero import duty on food items
The Nigeria Customs Service has announced guidelines for the implementation of a 150-day tariff waiver on selected staple foods.
This was disclosed in a statement by Customs’ spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.
The development followed the approval of the ‘zero tariff’ by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Maiwada said the presidential approval was communicated through the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Olawale Edun.
This policy is effective from 15th July 2024 and will remain in force until 31st December 2024, Maiwada added.
He said the move would alleviate hardship faced by Nigerians due to high prices of essential food items.
“However, it is important to emphasise that while this temporary measure is intended to address current hardships, it does not undermine the long-term strategies put in place to safeguard local farmers and protect manufacturers,” the Customs spokesman noted.
He added that the implementation of the policy would focus on addressing the national supply gap.
“To participate in the zero-duty importation of basic food items, a company must be incorporated in Nigeria and have been operational for at least five years. It must have filed annual returns and financial statements and paid taxes and statutory payroll obligations for the past five years.
“Companies importing husked brown rice, grain sorghum, or millet need to own a milling plant with a capacity of at least 100 tons per day, operated for at least four years, and have enough farmland for cultivation.
“Those importing maize, wheat, or beans must be agricultural companies with sufficient farmland or feed mills/agro-processing companies with an out-grower network for cultivation,” he said.
Food items to enjoy the zero tariff include husked brown rice, grain, sorghum, millet, maize, wheat and beans.
“The Federal Ministry of Finance will periodically provide the NCS with a list of importers and their approved quotas to facilitate the importation of these basic food items within the framework of this policy.
“The policy requires that at least 75% of imported items be sold through recognised commodities exchanges, with all transactions and storage recorded. Companies must keep comprehensive records of all related activities, which the government can request for compliance verification.
“If a company fails to meet its obligations under the import authorisation, it will lose all waivers and must pay the applicable VAT, levies, and import duties. This penalty also applies if the company exports the imported items in their original or processed form outside Nigeria,” the Customs spokesman added.
Earlier, the NCS said the federal government will forgo an estimated revenue of N188.37 billion as as result of suspension of tariffs on import of staple food items for six months.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale, disclosed this, in a keynote address at the Second Economic Confidential Lecture & Book presentation, on Tuesday, in Abuja.
Adewale, who spoke on “Facilitating food trade through efficient Customs process: Best practices for Nigeria”, said the federal government was committed to ensuring food security in the country.
The Federal Government recently announced the suspension on tariffs on some staple food items including rice, wheat, maize and sorghum, for six months, as part of efforts to ensure food security in the country.
The Customs boss noted that the policy, which according to government is intended to bring the prices of food items in country, as well as make them easily accessible to citizens, is a sacrifice by government, owing the potential revenue it will lose.
