The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adeniyi, has engaged with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) for the effective implementation of the four per cent Free on Board (FOB) charge on imports.
Adeniyi, while speaking today at a stakeholders’ engagement with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Ikeja, Lagos, to address the suspended FOB charge, explained that the charge is backed by a legal provision under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
He said its effective implementation must be guided by broad-based consultations with stakeholders in the manufacturing sector to tackle operational challenges, enhance industrial growth, trade facilitation, economic diversification, and reduce the cost of doing business in the country.
Adeniyi described the manufacturing sector as “the backbone of Nigeria’s industrial development,” stressing that its success is critical to the nation’s prosperity.
He announced the systematic reduction of highway checkpoints to cut delays and costs for doing business in the country for manufacturers across all trade corridors.
Adeniyi also announced the integration of its new indigenous Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), known as B’Odogwu, into the National Single Window (NSW) platform, expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2026, as directed by the Presidency.
Highlighting recent trade facilitation measures, Adeniyi announced the development of a comprehensive framework for one-stop shops to streamline manufacturers’ interactions with Customs and other regulatory agencies.
He explained that the initiative is designed to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks for manufacturers in taking delivery of their cargoes at the ports, while maintaining robust security and compliance standards.
“Your voices matter, all our manufacturers, and your experience helps to shape our understanding of how customs procedures can either enable or constrain manufacturing excellence.”
On his part, the President of MAN, Francis Meshioye, highlighted the pressing challenges confronting the association’s 2,500 member companies, citing anxiety among manufacturers over the four per cent Free on Board (FOB) charge on imports and issues arising from the B’Odogwu trade portal.
He stressed that addressing these issues was critical for creating a seamless operating environment for local manufacturers, while urging Customs to provide clarity and workable solutions on these policies to prevent disruptions to manufacturing operations.
Meshioye emphasised that trade facilitation, industrial development, and economic growth remain fundamental to Nigeria’s prosperity.
He called for stronger collaboration with Customs to tackle operational challenges at the ports and reduce the cost of doing business in the country’s manufacturing sector.
“Our goal is to streamline trade processes, reduce costs of doing business at the ports, and enhance our industrial competitiveness,” he stated.
The MAN president reiterated the association’s commitment to working with Customs and other government agencies to build an efficient, business-friendly trade facilitation ecosystem that will drive industrial growth and improve the well-being of Nigerian citizens.
