Customs lifts ban on rice importation through land borders

The comptroller-general of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), has directed that the restriction of  the importation of rice through land borders should be lifted and import duty payments on the product, re-introduced.

The public relations officer of Customs, Mr Wale Adeniyi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja that all rice imports through land borders by rice traders would attract the prevailing import duty of 10 per cent, with 60 per cent levy.

He also said that rice millers (preferential levy) with valid quota allocation would also attract a duty rate of 10 per cent with 20 per cent levy on rice importation.

“Over the years, importation has been restricted to the seaports because border authorities have found it difficult to effectively monitor and control importation of rice.

“When the decision to ban [rice] was taken, it was not an effective measure because the smuggling of the product thrives with people using different means of conveyance, including small trucks, bicycles and even animals – putting them on donkeys and some actually carry it on their heads.

“These new measures will be for Customs to recognise their anti-smuggling operations in the border areas and ensure that all those importers through the borders bring their rice through approved routes and pay their extant duty.“