Why Nigeria Customs Lifted Ban On Rice Importation

The Nigeria Customs Service has through its Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), ordered the immediate removal of the ban on rice importation in the country. Customs directed that rice be taken from the import restriction list, and ordered import duty on its formerly banned land imports.

Nigeria Customs made this known in an interview the service’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Wale Adeniyi, granted to the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Adeniyi stated that the all rice importation through the land border station will now be permitted and that the imports will attract a 10 percent import duty with a 60 percent levy.

He said, “Over the years, importation has been restricted to the seaports because border authorities have found it difficult to effectively monitor and control importation of rice.

“When the decision to ban it (rice) was taken, it was not an effective measure because smuggling of the product thrives with people using different means of conveyance including small trucks, bicycles and even animals – putting them on donkeys and some actually carry it on their heads.

“These new measures will be for customs to reorganise their anti-smuggling operations in the border areas and ensure that all those importers through the borders bring their rice through approved routes and pay their extant duty,” he added.

See More: Governor Tambuwal Urges Federal Government To End The Waiver On Rice Importation

Got a news tip/information for us? Email info@thesheet.ng

Follow us on twitter @thesheetng

BBM Channel: C0042057A

Like us on Facebook @ www.facebook.com / The Sheet

This is a 2015 Copyright of thesheet.ng. You may wish to request express approval from thesheet.ng to republish

Read it Later