The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has confirmed that the new fiscal measures on food importation apply only to paddy rice, while the federal government maintains its restriction on rice importation through land borders.
The Comptroller-General of NCS, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, made this clarification to the press during a routine inspection at the Apapa port on Friday.
He said nothing in the newly approved fiscal measures include the importation of rice, adding that the prohibition of rice still remains the same.
He, however, stated that some variety of rice is still being imported into the country for those who have access to foreign exchange to import it.
He said these small packages are not listed under the prohibition Act of the Customs Service.
“There is nothing in this fiscal measures that state that rice will be brought in through the border. Nothing has changed in the importation of rice apart from the fact that brown rice or rice paddy will be allowed duty-free.
“That is the only amendment to the fiscal policy. The extant policy on rice still remain the same, importation through the land border is still restricted.
“Of course, it’s the already removed from the items that could not access forex so those who have the money can still bring it.
“ You know that periodically, we still have rice imported in the port; some of them in smaller packages. Some of them in small packages. Those are not under import prohibition act yet,” Adeniyi said.
“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,” the spokesperson said.
– Nairametrics
