The Federal Government has announced a sweeping revision of its import policy, banning the importation of several key products—including poultry, cement, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, and selected agricultural and manufactured goods—from countries outside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The policy shift, contained in a circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance and signed by the Minister, Wale Edun, forms part of the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures (FPM) and tariff amendments aimed at strengthening local production and reducing import dependence.
According to the circular, the revised import prohibition list applies strictly to goods originating from non-ECOWAS countries and includes 17 categories of products.
Prominent among them are live and frozen poultry, pork and beef cuts, refined vegetable oil, sugar, cocoa products, tomatoes, bottled water and beverages, bagged cement, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, soaps, paper products, glass bottles, steel products, and ballpoint pens and parts.
The government said the measures supersede the 2023 fiscal policy framework and will be officially published in the Federal Government Gazette.
To ease the transition, the government granted a 90-day grace period beginning April 1, 2026, for importers who had already opened Form “M” and entered into irrevocable trade agreements before the policy’s commencement.
Such importers are allowed to clear their goods at existing duty rates, while all new import transactions from April 1 will be subject to the new regime.
In a related move, the government introduced a 2 percent green tax surcharge on imported motor vehicles with engine capacities between 2000cc–3999cc and 4000cc and above, a policy aimed at environmental sustainability and revenue diversification.
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) welcomed the policy, describing it as a “bold step toward industrial revitalisation.” A senior official of the association said the restrictions could help boost local production and reduce pressure on foreign exchange.
However, the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) expressed concerns over the potential short-term inflationary impact, warning that restricted imports could push up prices of essential goods such as cement, medicines, and food items.
A Lagos-based importer noted that while the policy may support local industry, “supply gaps and cost pressures will be inevitable in the short term.”
A Lagos-based economic analyst described the policy as “ambitious but risky without parallel investment in domestic manufacturing capacity.”