Former Senate leader, Ali Ndume, has advised the Federal Government to “impose heavy taxes on some of the foreign goods to discourage Nigerians from buying them and pick locally produced items.”

Ndume said this while commending the ban placed on the importation of foreign goods.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who made the disclosure on Monday at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting.

Idris added that the Federal Government also placed a caveat on expatriates coming into Nigeria to execute jobs that local contractors and artisans can undertake, unless there is convincing justification for it, including express permission from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

Idris, who described the decision as a landmark, said it was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s domestic economy and promoting local content.

He also noted that it was in line with a sweeping new policy framework tagged the Renewed Hope Nigeria First Policy.

Ndume, in a statement on Tuesday, said the bold initiative by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would go a long way in promoting indigenous entrepreneurs, boosting the local economy, and generating employment for Nigerians.

He said: “It is heartwarming to hear that President Tinubu has taken this bold decision to ban imported goods that can be produced locally.

“This will be a major boost for indigenous businesses amid the slipping Nigerian economy.

“If implemented faithfully, it will shield our local producers striving to find their feet from being choked out of existence by established foreign investors who flood our market, unhindered, with goods that are cheaper and even substandard.

“With protection of local industries, there will be employment for our employable youths, the measure will also boost our Gross Domestic Product, ( GDP) and the value of Naira will appreciate as their will be less strain on our foreign reserves, since the demand for foreign exchange by importers of such foreign goods would drastically reduce.”