Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun
The Federal Ministry of Finance on Friday said
that government has not increased the import
duties of food items and luxury goods.
Recall that a couple of days ago, new surface
online that the ministry had increased the import
duties on these items to foster local production.
This was made known in a statement by the
ministry’s Director of Information Salisu Na’Inna .
The statement read:
The Federal Ministry of Finance
wishes to categorically state that
the correct position is that, the
2016 FPM did not involve any
upward review of tariff on the
affected food items and luxury
goods. On the contrary, tariffs for
those items remained at their 2015
levels, while duties for some other
items were actually reduced. A
comparison of the 2015 Fiscal
Policy Measures Circular dated
20th March, 2015 and the 2016
Fiscal Policy Measures dated 29th
November, 2016 will affirm this
position.
With regards to the 20 per cent
duty on pharmaceutical products in
the 2016 Fiscal Policy Measures, it
should be noted that
pharmaceutical products were
already in the import prohibition
list.
This is in support of Government’s
intention to give further
encouragement and desirable
protection to local manufacturers of
Pharmaceutical products and
ensure that those who, despite the
prohibition, import such products
under special permission, pay the
required duties.
This clarification is aimed at
providing the Nigerian media and
other stakeholders with the correct
information on such sensitive
matters and to urge all interested
parties to cross-check information
with relevant authorities for
accuracy. This is especially
necessary at these challenging
times when the Federal Government
is putting extra efforts to encourage
our local industries and
manufacturers.
The Ministry also re-issued the import prohibition
list.
1. Live or dead birds such as frozen poultry;
pork, beef; bird eggs, excluding hatching
eggs.
2. Refined vegetable oil, excluding refined
linseed, castor and olive oil. Crude
vegetable oil is however not banned from
importation.
3. Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure
sucrose, in solid form containing added
flavouring or colouring matter; in retail
packs.
4. Cocoa butter, Powder and cakes
Spaghetti/Noodles.
5. Fruit Juice in retail Packs; Waters,
including mineral waters and aerated
Waters, containing added sugar or
sweetening matter or flavoured, ice snow;
other non-alcoholic beverages; excluding
energy or health drinks – liquid dietary
supplements e.g. Power Horse, Red
Ginseng; and Beer and stout (Bottled,
Canned or otherwise packed).
6. Bagged Cement.
7. Medicament falling under Headings 3003 &
3004 such as: Paracetamol tablets Syrups;
Cotrimozazole tablets and Syrups;
Metronidazole tablets and Syrups;
Chloroquine tablets and Syrups;
Haematinic formulations; Ferrous sulphate
and ferrous gluconate tablets; Folic acid
tablets; Vitamin B Complex tablets (except
modified release; formulations).
8. Multivitamin tablets, capsules and syrups
(except special formulations); Aspirin
tablets (except modified release
formulations and soluble aspirin);
Magnesium trisilicate tablets and
suspensions; Piperazine tablets and
syrups; Levamisole tablets and syrups;
Ointments penicillin/gentamycin; Pyrantel
pamoate tablets and syrups;Intravenous
Fluids (Dextrose, Normal Saline etc).
9. Waste pharmaceuticals; Soaps and
Detergents in retail packs; Mosquito
repellant Coils (mosquito coils); Sanitary
Wares of Plastics and Domestic Articles
and Wares of Plastic; (but excluding Baby
Feeding Bottles) and (flushing cistern and
waterless toos toilets).
