Land-Boarder Imported Rice Still Banned — Customs

The federal government continues to restrict the importation of rice over land borders, but the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has verified that the new fiscal controls on food importation only apply to paddy rice.

This clarification was provided to the media by NCS Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi on Friday during a regular inspection at the Apapa port.

He clarified that the importation of rice is not included in the recently approved fiscal measures and that rice importation is still prohibited.

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.