FG Releases Import Prohibition List: Cement, Fertiliser, Others Make the Cut
- The Nigerian government updated the banned import list, including cement and fertiliser, effective April 1, 2026
- The World Bank urged Nigeria to reconsider import bans to enhance market competitiveness and customs revenue
- Gradual reduction of Import Adjustment Taxes aligned with Nigeria's commitments under the African Continental Free Trade Area
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
The Nigerian government has updated its list of items not allowed to be imported into the country, with cement, soaps, fertiliser and 14 other goods and products on the list.
The development was announced in a circular issued by the 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.
Source: Facebook
FG reveals date to commence ban
The document, which was quoted in Punch, stated that the revised measures became effective from April 1, 2026, under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff guidelines.
The circular states:
“This is to confirm that His Excellency, Mr President, has approved the implementation of the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures made up of Supplementary Protection Measures (SPM)… with effect from 1st April 2026.”
The ministry explained that the list applies to goods originating from non-ECOWAS countries and is part of a larger trade protection measure.
“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 document stated.
Full list of banned items
According to a report by Punch, the details from Annex III showed that the prohibited categories include:
- 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, 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.
New policy complies with AfCTA
According to the circular, Import Adjustment Tax on 192 tariff items were also introduced, stating that the levies would be gradually phased out in accordance with Nigeria’s commitment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
The circular revealed that with effect from January 2027, all Import Adjustment Taxes, excluding products on AfCTA 3%, shall be gradually reduced on an annual basis until full elimination to 0% by 2030.
The Nigerian government also announced that duties, including a green tax surcharge, would commence from July 1, 2026, with a 90-day grace period for compliance.
The ministry stated 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 revealed.
World Bank asks Nigeria to end import bans
The measure will replace the 2023 fiscal policy guidelines and will be published in the official gazette as the Nigerian government intensifies efforts to protect industries and reduce dependence on imports.
Reports say the World Bank has asked Nigeria to end import bans for a more competitive market.
The institution disclosed in its 2025 report on Nigeria that the country could boost customs income by 66% if the Nigerian government ended arbitrary tariff deviations and import bans.
Experts ask Nigeria to reconsider cement and fertiliser
The World Bank linked tariff policy to lost government revenue, stating that high tariffs and import bans are a major cause of evasion and a reduction in customs collections.
Experts say the list of prohibited import items will grow, including locally produced items, but asked the government to reconsider some items on the list, such as cement and fertiliser.
Source: Getty Images
They said that the country should licence select importers to bring in cement to crash the price of the product.
According to them, the import of fertilisers would help to boost agriculture and food production in the country.
FG reduces car import tariff to 40%
Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government reduced import tariff on fully built passenger vehicles from 70 per cent to 40 per cent under its 2026 fiscal policy measures, in a move aimed at improving access to cars in Nigeria.
The policy, announced as part of the newly approved fiscal framework, applies to fully assembled vehicles, including four-wheel drives and station wagons.
This announcement was shared in a statement by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), posted on the agency’s website on Friday, April 17, 2026.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
