Finally Customs Remove Ban on Rice Importation

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs service, Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd) has officially removed the ban on rice importation.
This was revealed by the service spokesperson, Wale Adeniyi who stated in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the import duty payment at land borders has also been reintroduced.
According to him, the restriction used to be applied only at land border stations, adding that all rice imports through land borders by rice traders would attract the prevailing import duty of 10 per cent with 60 per cent levy.

"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 reognise 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."