Ayomidele Oluwasusi
ABUJA – The Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN), has raised the alarm that despite President Bola Tinubu’s executive order suspending import duties and tariffs on food items, Nigerian Customs still collect import duties on imported food items.
“Customs officials tell our members at entry points that they don’t have any written communication about the suspension. Therefore, nothing has changed; we’re paying duties as usual,” said Aminu Dan-Iya, chairman of IMAN in Nigeria’s Northern region.
Mr Dan-Iya said IMAN cannot understand why such a crucial presidential order had yet to be implemented, though it has been officially announced long ago.
“As a matter of fact, people are outraged, asking to know why prices of food and other commodities keep skyrocketing despite removal of taxes. The truth is that something is fundamentally wrong somewhere because we cannot fathom why such a crucial presidential order is yet to be implemented,” he said.
Earlier in July, President Tinubu announced suspension of import duties on essential food items as one of the strategies to stem the hunger crisis in the country.
Customs Comptroller General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, in a video posted on X some days after Mr Tinubu gave the order, said Nigerian Customs will implement the executive order.
“Global inflation is impacting nations worldwide, including Nigeria. To address this, the federal government through the Nigeria Customs Service is suspending import duties and taxes on essential food items to make them more affordable,” Mr Adeniyi said.
He added, “We’re committed to implementing this measure seamlessly to address the problem of hunger in our nation. We have streamlined export processes to ensure Nigerian goods reach international markets efficiently.”
Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis in decades, with skyrocketing inflation, a national currency in free-fall and millions of people struggling to buy food. Only two years ago Africa’s biggest economy, Nigeria is projected to drop to fourth place this year.
The pain is widespread. Unions strike to protest salaries of around $20 a month. People die in stampedes, desperate for free sacks of rice. Hospitals are overrun with women wracked by spasms from calcium deficiencies.
Although President Bola Tinubu increased the minimum wage — after strike action and months-long negotiations with labour unions — from N30,000 to N70,000, his government has increased spending for officials at a time of nationwide starvation.
For workers earning the new N70,000, or $43, per month minimum wage, capricious inflation and naira value have inflicted too much damage for the changes to make any difference in their lives.
The crisis is largely believed to be rooted in two major changes implemented by Mr Tinubu, elected 14 months ago: the partial removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the currency, which together have caused major price rises.
A nation of entrepreneurs, Nigeria’s more than 200 million citizens are skilled at managing in tough circumstances, without the services states usually provide. They generate their own electricity and source their own water. They take up arms and defend their communities when the armed forces cannot. They negotiate with armed kidnappers when family members are abducted.
But right now, their resourcefulness is being stretched to the limit.
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