List of banned imported goods by Customs Service in Nigeria

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Banned imported goods are goods that are prohibited goods for importation by government. Most times, the policies are to promote the local production and sustain the small scale industry for growth. Most prohibited imported goods are expected to be produced and exported in Nigeria.

For every aspect of economy in Nigeria, there are policies frequently published to maintain the standard of regulatory bodies. Many people who are importers and exporters are not fully aware of the current banned imported goods in Nigeria. They always fall victims of seizure and loss of capital.

I remember some years ago, when I worked as a Business Development Executive for an international consulting company for Agricultural products. We were to import come tons of bags of rice to Nigeria.  A month to the completion of the import deal, Federal Government of Nigeria banned the importation of rice into Nigeria. We have to cancel the deal because the import duty on it then was 110% of the goods worth.

Any time an importer approaches me for freight forwarding services especially importation of goods, I always advise on the goods that can be imported into the Country without going through the stress of Nigeria Custom and the goods maybe seized even get the importer into jail. Importers must verify the goods on the Nigeria custom website before proceeding to pay the seller or issue letter of credit.

                                                                   List of banned imported goods by Customs in Nigeria

  • Live or Dead Birds including Frozen Poultry
  • Birds Eggs
  • Soaps and Detergents excluding retail packs only
  • Mosquito Repellant Coils
  • Sanitary Wares of Plastics and Domestic Articles and Wares of Plastics excluding Baby Feeding bottles and flushing ceinstern and waterless toos toilets.
  • Rethreaded and used Pneumatic tyres excluding used trucks tyres for rethreading of sized 11.00 x 20 and above
  • Corrugated Paper and Paper and cartons, boxes and cases made from corrugated paper and paper boards, Toilet paper, Cleaning or facial tissue  excluding baby diapers and incotinent pads for adult use and Exercise Books
  • Spaghetti/Noodles
  • Refined Vegetable Oils and excluding refined Linseed, Castor and Olive oils. Crude vegetable oil are however NOT banned from importation
  • Cocoa Butter, Powder and Cakes
  • Bagged Cement
  • Paracetamol Tablets and Syrups
  • Cotrimoxazole Tablets Syrups
  • Metronidazole Tablets and Syrups
  • Chloroquine Tablets and Syrups
  • Haematinic Formulations; Ferrous Sulphate and Ferrous Gluconate Tablets, Folic Acid Tablets, Vitamine B Complex Tablet [except modified released formulations].
  • Multivitamin Tablets, capsules and Syrups [except special formulations].
  • Aspirin Tablets [except modified released formulation and soluble aspirin].
  • Magnesium trisilicate tablets and suspensions.
  • Piperazine tablets and Syrups
  • Levamisole Tablets and Syrups
  • Clotrimazole Cream
  • Ointments – Penecilin/Gentamycin
  • Pyrantel Pamoate tablets and Syrups
  • Telephone Re-charge Cards and Vouchers
  • All types of Foot Wears, Bags and Suitcases excluding Safety Shoes used in oil industries, Sports Shoes, canvass shoes all Completely Knocked Down
  • Carpets and other Textile floor coverings
  • Air Pistols
  • Used Motor Vehicles above fifteen (15) years from the year of manufacture
  • Airmail Photographic Printing Paper
  • Coupons for Foreign Football pools or other betting arrangements
  • Exhausted tea or tea mixed with other substances
  • Indecent or obscene prints, painting, books, cards, engraving or any indecent or obscene articles.
  • Second-hand clothing
  • Silver or metal alloy coins not being legal tender in Nigeria
  • Pistols disguised in any form
  • Matches made with white phosphorous
  • Implements appertaining to the reloading of cartridges.
  • Cowries
  • All counterfeit/pirated materials or articles including Base or Counterfeit Coin of any Country.
  • Beads composed of inflammable celluloid or other similar substances.
  • Blank invoices.
  • Coupons for Foreign Football pools or other betting arrangements

More releases can be obtained on the Nigeria Custom Website

Follow Michael Adewale:

International Freight Forwarder, Shipping Consultant and Customs Clearing Agent

He is Chief Executive Officer at Distinctcushy Global Freight Forwarding Company Limited, an International Freight forwarding company and Customs Clearing Broker in Lagos, Nigeria. He loves integrity and value honesty with importers and Exporters in Nigeria and abroad.

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