General
WTO Urges Overhaul, Reforms of Nigerian Customs Practices
By Adedapo Adesanya
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has expressed concerns over the high rate of physical inspection of containers at Nigerian ports, urging the country to review its customs procedures to promote timely and cost-effective practices.
Members of the Trade Policy Review organ of the organisation also stated that longstanding import prohibitions on a wide array of agricultural products, coupled with tariff peaks and additional levies, had the potential to worsen food insecurity, higher food price inflation, and negatively affect private sector investments in the agricultural sector.
Those were part of the submissions made by members of the body during the recently concluded sixth Trade Policy Review of the WTO, which focused on Nigeria in Switzerland.
The Ambassador of Nigeria to WTO, Mr Adamu Abdulhamid, who doubles as Chairperson of the WTO Trade Policy Review Body for the 2024/2025 period, explained that the review provided Nigeria with a good opportunity to better understand and discuss the country’s trade policy developments since its previous review in 2017.
The body appreciated Nigeria’s active participation and constructive role at the WTO, including by ratifying the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement.
It also highlighted Nigeria’s constructive engagement in ongoing negotiations and its instrumental coordinating role concerning fisheries subsidies and agriculture negotiations.
Nigeria was also encouraged to join the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement and the Government Procurement Agreement, as well as to incorporate the Services Domestic Regulation commitments into its WTO schedule of commitments.
“Members welcomed Nigeria’s initiative to undertake significant economic policy reforms against a particularly challenging global economic environment to strengthen its macroeconomic and fiscal situation.”
The key three areas were highlighted in particular, including the removal of fuel subsidies, saying by doing so Nigeria also sought to achieve positive results in the fight against climate change.
There was also the need of an introduction of a floating and market-driven foreign exchange rate system and removal of restrictions on the use of foreign exchange for imports.
The body also said efforts to improve the business and trade environment, including adopting a new customs code, starting to improve tax administration, and enacting new copyright and competition acts, must be followed.
It was pointed out that members also stressed that transparency and predictability in the business and investment environment would benefit from further reforms, including by improving the complex regulatory Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) frameworks.
Members also praised Nigeria’s various growth and development plans as well as its new trade and investment policies aimed at diversifying the economy.
“They also expressed strong interest in better understanding the implementation of existing subsidy schemes. In this context, some delegations noted the increasing share of trade in goods and services in Nigeria’s GDP and highlighted the increase in the share of the manufacturing sector in GDP, which nearly doubled from 8.6% in 2017 to 15.7 per cent in 2023.
“Members lauded Nigeria’s efforts on trade facilitation and for streamlining its customs procedures, including by introducing the Authorised Economic Operator scheme in 2024,” a statement said.
On tariffs generally, members expressed concern that Nigeria had bound only 19.7 per cent of its tariff lines, with the average bound rate standing at 120 per cent, while the average applied rate was 12.8 per cent in 2023.
In this regard, members encouraged Nigeria to enhance predictability and good governance and to increase its binding coverage as well as reduce the bound rates.
There were also concerns over the high number of outstanding notifications by Nigeria, including on anti-dumping, agriculture, subsidies, State Trading Enterprises, quantitative restrictions, and import licensing.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Lagos International Trade Fair Complex in the Ojo area of Lagos State was shut down on Wednesday by traders protesting the proposed takeover of the facility by state and local government authorities.
The aggrieved demonstrators emphasised that the complex belongs to the federal government, and if there is a transfer of ownership to the state and local governments, then stakeholders should be carried along.
They expressed concerns that handing over the trade fair complex to the duo could be disruptive, and traders may have to pay more taxes and levies, which will, in turn, result in higher prices of goods.
In protest of the planned takeover, the traders yesterday locked up their shops, especially those in the ASPANDA Market segment within the facility, where spare parts are sold.
Apparently worried about the situation, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ms Jumoke Oduwole, visited the market to talk to the traders.
She urged them to reopen the complex, as efforts are being made by the federal government to resolve the issue amicably.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a court order to extend the detention of former Governor of Kaduna State, Mr Nasir El-Rufai.
This order gives the anti-graft agency ample time to finalise its investigation into allegations against the former governor, which has now deepened as a result of some new findings.
Subsequently, the new order, which was granted on Tuesday in the presence of Mr El-Rufai’s lawyer, will expire on Thursday, March 19.
However, Mr El-Rufai’s lawyer, whose application to quash the first remand order was declined by a Chief Magistrate Court in Bwari, has returned to the same court to nullify the latest order.
Justice Okechukwu John Akweke has fixed March 17 to decide whether or not he should set aside the latest detention order.
He said, “Upon hearing and listening to the prosecuting counsel, Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha Esq., praying this Honourable court for the following orders:
“An order of this Honourable Court issuing a remand warrant against the Respondent (NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI) in favour of the Applicant, i.e. Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to detain the Respondent (NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI) in its custody for another fourteen (14) days pending conclusion of investigation activities on allegations of Money Laundering/abuse of office.
“And for such other or further order(s) as this Honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances. It is hereby ordered that: Application granted as prayed.
“That the Applicant, i.e. the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission ICPC is hereby ordered to re-detain the Respondent (NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI) for an additional 14 days to enable the commission to conclude investigation activities.
“That the return date shall be the 19th day of March 2026, for the report of compliance.”
The scrutiny of Mr El-Rufai by the ICPC follows the report of the Kaduna State House of Assembly’s ad hoc committee constituted in 2024 to investigate finances, loans and contracts awarded between 2015 and 2023 under his eight-year administration of the state.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has begun evacuating willing Nigerians in Iran, escorting them across the Armenian border to ensure their safety amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The evacuation follows the growing crisis that began on February 28 after coordinated military strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel.
The attacks triggered retaliatory missile and drone strikes across parts of the region, raising fears of a wider conflict.
The chief executive of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this in a post on her X handle on Tuesday.
She said officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran are coordinating the evacuation of Nigerians who wish to leave the country and are facilitating their safe passage into Armenia.
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa also reassured that no Nigerian in Iran has so far been affected by the ongoing tensions, noting that embassy officials remain stationed at the border to receive and assist evacuees.
Her post read, “Willing Nigerians [are] being escorted across the Armenian border by officials of the Nigerian embassy in Iran for safe passage. No Nigerian in Iran has been affected by the war as officials remain at the border to receive all who want to leave.”
The development comes as tensions in parts of the Middle East continue to raise concerns over the safety of foreign nationals residing in affected areas.
For repatriation flights, the NiDCOM chair said the airspace is currently unsafe but assured Nigerians in the Middle East that the Federal Government team is on standby to evacuate them.
“And as for repatriation flights, the skies are currently unsafe to fly. Luckily, a flight came in from the UAE to Lagos two days ago, just before another strike and the closure of the airspace.
“Once the airspace opens, the multi-agency FG team on crisis and evacuation is on standby. Our prayers are with you and all our people in affected countries,” she said.
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