Why we’re yet to implement duty waiver on food imports — Customs

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) announced on Thursday that it will soon implement a duty waiver on food imports, pending receipt of the list of beneficiaries for tax exemptions from the Ministry of Finance.

This move follows the federal government’s announcement of a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities on July 8, 2024, aimed at mitigating food inflation.

Speaking at the Strategic Communications Inter-agency Policy Committee (SCIPC) meeting hosted at the NCS headquarters in Abuja, Abdullahi Maiwada, the NCS spokesman, explained the process for the waiver.

“The issue of food security is crucial,” Maiwada stated.

“The policy announced by the President is significant, and we have issued guidelines on how to benefit from it.

“However, the policy is not as simple as allowing anyone to import rice. It involves long-term, medium-term, and short-term considerations.”

Maiwada emphasised that the NCS’s role is to implement, not formulate, government policies. He clarified that the duty waiver policy is based on guidelines provided by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

“We have issued a statement outlining how to benefit from the zero import duty, including the conditions and requirements,” he said.

“The policy specifies that beneficiaries must be millers, taxpayers, and have been in operation for a certain number of years.

“The Federal Ministry of Finance will provide a quota for these exemptions. Once we receive the list of beneficiaries from the Ministry of Finance, we will promptly implement the directives.”

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