FG restricts cement, fertiliser, 15 other goods’ imports

The Federal Government has updated its import prohibition list, targeting cement, soaps, fertiliser, and 14 other categories of goods, bringing the total number of affected categories to 17.

This was disclosed in a circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance and signed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, following presidential approval of the 2026 fiscal policy measures.

The document titled “Approval for the Implementation of the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures and Tariff Amendments” stated that the revised measures took effect from April 1, 2026, under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff framework.

According to the circular, “This is to confirm that His Excellency, Mr President, has approved the implementatiAon of the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures made up of Supplementary Protection Measures (SPM)… with effect from 1st April 2026.”

The ministry explained that the import prohibition list applies to goods originating from non-ECOWAS countries and forms part of broader trade protection measures.

“The approved SPM, in line with the provision of the ECOWAS CET, comprises… Import Prohibition list (Trade), applicable only to certain goods originating from non-ECOWAS Member States. It consists of 17 items,” the circular stated.

Details from Annex III showed that the prohibited categories include live or dead birds, including frozen poultry; pork, beef and other meat products such as carcasses, cuts, offal, tongues and livers; bird eggs, excluding those for breeding and research; refined vegetable oils, excluding specific categories like linseed, castor and olive oil; cane or beet sugar in retail packs; cocoa butter, cocoa powder and related cocoa preparations; tomatoes, whether fresh, in pieces or processed into paste and concentrates; waters, including mineral and aerated drinks and other non-alcoholic beverages containing sweetening matter; bagged cement; medicaments across multiple classifications; waste pharmaceuticals; mineral and chemical fertilisers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; soaps; detergents; corrugated paper and paperboard and cartons; hollow glass bottles exceeding 150 millilitres; flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products; as well as ballpoint pens and their parts, including refills.

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.

“A grace period of ninety (90) days commencing from the date of this circular is hereby granted to all importers, manufacturers, and service providers before the implementation of the new excise duty rates,” it added.

The ministry clarified that importers with existing trade documentation before April 1, 2026, would be allowed to clear goods under the old regime within the grace period, while new transactions would fall under the updated policy.

“However, any new import transaction entered from the 1st of April 2026 shall be subjected to the new import duty regime,” the circular stated.

The measures, which replace the 2023 fiscal policy framework, are expected to be published in the official gazette as the government intensifies efforts to protect domestic industries and reduce reliance on imports.

The World Bank has repeatedly urged Nigeria to eliminate import bans for a more competitive market. In its Nigeria Development Update: May 2025 edition, the World Bank noted that Nigeria could boost its customs revenue by 66 per cent if the federal government eliminates arbitrary tariff deviations and import bans.

It linked the tariff policy to lost government revenue, noting that high tariffs and import bans contribute to evasion and reduce customs collections. “The government should consider seizing the opportunity created by the market-reflective, competitive exchange rate to reorient trade policy for growth and jobs.

“Nigeria maintains higher-than-average tariffs on many products, bans the imports of others, and imposes many non-tariff barriers. The average tariff rate in the country is twice as high as the sub-Saharan average,” the report read.

Also, in its latest Nigeria Development Update: April 2026 edition, the World Bank recommended a rethink of Nigeria’s import restriction regime, warning that blanket bans may be counterproductive to inflation control and growth.

The report advised the government to ease trade restrictions as part of measures to stabilise prices and support economic recovery. Specifically, it stated that authorities should “reduce import tariffs and lift import bans for selected products, particularly food and key intermediate inputs,” noting that such reforms would help ease supply constraints and moderate inflationary pressures.

The World Bank added that high import restrictions, including bans and surcharges, have contributed to rising costs of inputs and consumer goods, especially in agriculture and manufacturing, where firms rely on imported materials.