Federal Government of Nigeria Sets Conditions for Reopening Of Borders

Federal Government of Nigeria Sets Conditions for Reopening Of Borders

The federal government has unveiled fresh conditions for the reopening of the country’s borders to imported goods.

Recall the nation’s borders have been closed for several weeks in a move the government said was to grow the local economy and reduce illegal importation.

Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affair, made this known on Monday in Abuja while briefing newsmen following an Inter-Ministerial meeting Preparatory to the Tripartite Anti-Smuggling Committee Meeting of Nigeria, Benin and Niger.

He said that the conditions were spelt out by the country’s inter-ministerial committee to protect the nation’s economy by stopping dumping.

Onyeama listed other conditions to include that any import coming into Nigeria must retain its original packaging from the country of origin.

“There should be no modification whatsoever to the packaging on those goods imported into an ECOWAS member state destined for Nigeria.

“So, with the original packaging they must be escorted from the port directly and transferred to the Nigerian Customs Service.

“For goods predominantly produced in ECOWAS Member States, the rules of origin must be certified, so we have to avoid any possibilities of dumping.

“So, if goods are produced in ECOWAS member states, those goods must be in majority produced in those countries or if they are coming from outside ECOWAS the value addition made by an ECOWAS country must be over 30 per cent.