Customs, MAN hold parley on suspended 4% FOB levy

The Nigeria Customs Service has met with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria to discuss the suspended 4 per cent Free on Board charge on imported goods.

Addressing journalists at the MAN Secretariat in Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, explained that although the charge is backed by the NCS Act 2023, its enforcement must be guided by broad-based consultations with stakeholders.

Adeniyi stressed that such engagements are necessary to balance the government’s fiscal obligations and the need to sustain industrial growth.

Online reports that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, had directed the service to suspend the implementation of the 4 per cent FOB levy on imported goods.

The directive was contained in a circular titled “Suspension of the Implementation of four per cent FOB Charge by the Nigeria Customs Service”, dated September 15, 2025, and signed by the Permanent Secretary for Special Duties in the ministry, Raymond Omachi.

Speaking further, Adeniyi said, “Your voices matter, all our manufacturers, and your experience help to shape our understanding of how customs procedure can either enable or constrain manufacturing excellence.”

He added that the service has consistently supported manufacturing through concrete initiatives that recognise the strategic importance of industrial competitiveness to the national economic objectives.

Adeniyi stressed that the NCS’s support extends to structural trade facilitation improvements. He added that the service has concluded the process of developing a comprehensive framework for establishing one-stop shops that will revolutionise how manufacturers interact with customs and other regulatory agencies.

“This initiative aims to eliminate bureaucratic processes that frustrate legitimate business operations as we continue to maintain robust security and compliance standards. We have also carried out systematic streamlining of checkpoints along our major highways, reducing unnecessary delays that had costs without adding value to revenue generation or our security outcomes,” Adeniyi added.

He emphasised that digital transformations lie at the heart of the service’s trade facilitation strategies. “We have investments in systems like the B’Odogwu platform that provide real-time clearance capabilities, automated risk assessments, and seamless integration with the supply chain system. Technology should eliminate friction in the supply chain,” he said.

Earlier, the President of MAN, Francis Meshioye, while thanking the NCS for the visit, added that matters of trade facilitation, industrial development, and economic growth for the overall well-being of Nigerian citizens are not small issues. He stressed that it is an issue that is fundamental to everyone who cares about Nigeria.

“What we are having today is the enactment of that historic bond. We are hopeful that going forward, we shall be able to institutionalise this arrangement. This will enable us to resolve operational issues and engender an inclusive policy formulation and implementation atmosphere between our two very important organizations,” Meshioye said.

He highlighted that since Adeniyi assumed office in 2013 as the Customs Comptroller-General, he has brought a refreshing blend of professionalism, innovation, and global recognition to the service than before. According to him, there is no better time to reignite this collaboration than now.

“This session will discuss important issues affecting our industry, so we must maintain an open dialogue and work together to address challenges and find solutions that will benefit the manufacturing sector, the NCS, and Nigerians at large,” he said.