Nigeria Customs and waiver on food imports

Sir: It is not often that a leader successfully maintains a delicate balance between the nation’s challenging economic concerns and calls for better governance.

At a joint security forces press briefing against the backdrop of the recent nationwide protests, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, offered succour to the citizens while affirming the sacred mandate of the Service.

He said pointedly: “One of the things the President has done is cushion the effect of food inflation by suspending custom duties and taxes on imported food items for a period of time and we believe that when this is fully implemented, it will help bring down the cost of food items in the market.”

The Comptroller-General’s words resonate a deep understanding of the intricate relationship between effective customs operations and national economic concerns. Despite an aggressive policy of revenue generation, the service was not oblivious of its social responsibility in times of national emergencies!

Indeed, Adeniyi reminded the citizens that since imported foods constituted a relatively large proportion of foods consumed in the country, it might take a while for the imported foods to arrive and might also take some time for the Ministry of Finance to work out the guidelines.

He nevertheless made the point that the nation’s economic problems were being addressed through intersecting of fiscal policies of government and a number of strategic interventions from ministries, departments and agencies.

Adeniyi appealed to the citizens to be a bit patient because some of the items arriving at the ports would “be cleared without customs duties and taxes.” He said that these strategies were “designed to make essential goods more accessible to Nigerians.” This reflects a proactive approach to addressing immediate economic concerns while maintaining the integrity of customs operations.

In the estimation of the NCS, Nigerians would not have to wait too long because there had been a concerted effort at addressing hunger through the distribution of food grains which was released to all the states across the federation from the National Strategic Reserve about a month ago.

The NCS’ commitment to addressing food inflation is part of a larger governmental strategy aimed at stabilising prices and ensuring food security. By suspending customs duties on essential food imports, the government hopes to mitigate the impact of inflation on vulnerable populations. It is a clear testament that economic stabilization is a major pivot of development being promoted by NCS.

Prior to the August uprising, the NCS under the pivot of Adeniyi, had positioned itself as a responsive corporate institution, embodying a dynamic organization that understands its multifaceted role in maintaining national security and promoting economic stability.

In the past 14 months, the service has showcased an unwavering commitment to its core mandates: revenue collection, trade facilitation, and societal protection. This commitment has never been more evident than in recent initiatives aimed at combating smuggling and enhancing border security, especially in a time when the nation grapples with economic challenges and civil unrest.

Chibueze Ofoegbu